Conjoined twins Abby and Brittany Hensel are praised over candid beach photo that shows them proudly posing in a bikini - as image resurfaces in the wake of shock secret wedding news

Conjoined twins Abby and Brittany Hensel have been praised over a 'beautiful' 2015 bikini snap after the image resurfaced in the wake of Abby's shock revelation that she secretly tied the knot in a 2021 wedding ceremony.

The twins, 34, who were born with a rare condition called dicephalic parapagus - are glowing in the beach snap;  both of them grinning in a green and pink bikini with their arm around an unnamed friend.

They simply captioned the post: 'Summer', with a sun emoji.

Fans flooded the photo with  comments, praising the women for their happy photo; many congratulating Abby on her marriage.

Fans have showered conjoined twins Abby and Brittany Hensel in praise after a bikini picture of the pair with a friend resurfaced

News hit the web last week that Abby, 34, had tied the knot with nurse and army veteran named Josh, 33, back in 2021

'Congratulations on your marriage! Wish you happiness,' one user wrote.

'Wow you look so beautiful,' another gushed.

'I know this is a picture from some years ago but I’d never seen it. All three of you girls looked amazing!' chimed in another.

'Such an example of love and strength, you both inspire me to keep going every day,' another fan wrote.

One fan simple declared: 'You are two beautiful girls.'

News of the nuptials first emerged last week when it was revealed that Abby had married nurse and army veteran, Josh Bowling, 33, three years ago.

Abby's relationship with father-of-one Josh had was unknown until last month, when old footage and snaps from the ceremony shared to their Facebook account at the time resurfaced.

For the big day, the sisters - who both work as fifth grade math teachers at an elementary school in Minnesota - sported a sleeveless wedding dress with lace trim detailing - while the groom wore a grey suit.

Abby's relationship with father-of-one Josh had gone under the radar until last month, when old footage and snaps from the ceremony shared to their Facebook account at the time resurfaced 

Conjoined twin Abby Hensel (left) and Brittany (center) are one of only a few sets of dicephalus twins in history to survive infancy. They are pictured with Abby's husband Josh Bowling (right)

Fans flooded the photo with comments, praising the women for their happy photo; many congratulating Abby on her marriage

After news of Abby and Josh's wedding went viral, the sisters posted a TikTok video responding to their 'haters.'

'This is a message to all the haters out there,' they captioned a photo of them with Josh.

'If you don't like what I do, but watch everything I'm doing, you're still a fan.'

They also shared images of ancient sculptures depicting conjoined twins and added: 'The internet is extra LOUD today. We have always been around.'

Abby and Brittany are one of only a few sets of dicephalus twins in history to survive infancy. They first rose to fame on their eponymous TLC show in 2012, which chronicled some of their major life events, including their high school graduation and job hunting.

The women share all their organs the waist down, including the intestine, bladder and reproductive organs.

They have two spines (which join at the pelvis), two hearts, two oesophagi, two stomachs, three kidneys, two gall bladders, four lungs (two of which are joined), one liver, one ribcage, a shared circulatory system and partially shared nervous systems.

The twins, who have their own birth certificates and passports, were raised Christian by their parents, a nurse and a carpenter.

When they were born on March 7, 1990, doctors warned their parents Patty and Mike that they were unlikely to survive the night. But that prediction was to prove wildly wrong.

Abby's relationship with Josh had gone under the radar until last month, when old snaps from the ceremony shared to Facebook at the time resurfaced. The sisters are seen at the wedding

The women share all their organs the waist down, including the intestine, bladder and reproductive organs. They are pictured here with Josh 

Abby and Brittany first captivated the world in 1996 when they appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show (seen) and the cover of Life Magazine

Abby and Brittany's story first gained global attention after they appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show and the cover of Life Magazine in 1996.

The women then retreated from the public eye for a few years into the TLC show skyrocketed them back into the spotlight. But since then, they've lived quiet lives.

Each twin has control over one side of the body, with Abby controlling the right hand side and Brittany the left, according to the BBC.

Though the pair share many organs, they experience separate hungers and separate urges to urinate and sleep. Their nervous systems are also distinct.

Time reported that if Abby is tickled on her side, Brittany can't feel it (apart from along a narrow part on their back where they appear to share sensation).

They are able to do most things a nonconjoined person can do, including driving and cooking, and they've also mastered things like playing the piano and participating in sports.

Last week, it was revealed that Abby's husband Josh had been hit with a paternity suit by his ex-wife, Annica Bowling, who he split with just two years before marrying the famous conjoined twin.

Court records viewed by DailyMail.com show Annica filed the suit against Josh and another man named Gavin Vatnsdal. 

Josh and Annica married in 2010 then split in 2019, according to court records. They currently share custody of their eight-year-old daughter, Isabella. 

Josh and Annica's divorce was finalized on April 23, 2020, then Annica had another child later that year who in court documents is referred to as 'Isabella's half-sister.'

It is unclear which child paternity is being tested for, but a genetic test report was filed to the court on March 7 that is not available for public viewing.