Rita Ora opens up on close relationship with stepdaughters and why ‘perfect’ secret wedding was planned in just TWO days

RITA Ora has spoken about her close relationship with her stepchildren in a new interview.

The pop star and actress, 32, is married to Oscar-winning movie director Taika Waititi, who has two daughters - Te, 11, and Matewa, seven - from his past relationship with Chelsea Winstanley.

Rita has built such a strong bond with the girls in the two years that she's been with New Zealander Taika, 47, she couldn't contemplate marrying him without them being part of the ceremony.

It was with that in mind that she and Taika rapidly planned their nuptials in "just two or three days" so that the family could enjoy it together.

Rita told magazine the wedding, which The Sun exclusively revealed took place last summer, was squeezed into a tight window when she wasn't working on her album.

She said: "His kids were there and I really wanted them to be a part of it. It was either then or we had to wait for ages. I didn’t want to do it without my stepkids there. So, we just figured it out and we did it. And it was perfect.

“My sister was there, which was amazing for me. And he had his girls there, which was amazing for him. It was a dream. My parents were on Zoom.”

The proposal was just as low key.

Because of the intensity and public nature of her day job, Rita wanted the opposite for the big personal moment.

She explained: “Well, honestly, there was no real getting down on one knee. It was more like, ‘I want to marry you. Let’s just do it.’

“Some women like to feel that real special attention that day. And everyone’s different. And for me – I think with my job, it is all… it’s very attention driven – I wanted to keep it private because my life and my career aren’t.”

Earlier this year, Rita admitted that she thought long and hard about taking Taika's surname but ultimately was leaning towards keeping her own.

She said on Heart radio: "I have definitely thought about taking his surname, but I have worked very hard for this Ora name. I don't know… I haven't really decided yet."