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The Heartwarming — and Heartbreaking — Reasons Tyler Perry and Meghan Markle Are Besties

The Duchess of Sussex and one of Hollywood's biggest media moguls have long enjoyed a close friendship.

Good friends may be hard to come by, but Tyler Perry and Meghan Markle have proved thatโ€™s not always the case. The media mogul has long enjoyed a friendship with The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry and Markle, and just last week the former โ€œSuitsโ€ star showed up to publicly support her friend Perry.

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Perry and Markleโ€™s connection goes back years, beginning during one of the most turbulnant times for Harry & Megan: โ€œMegxit.โ€ In a recent interview, Perry opened up about his support of Markle, offering some insight on his connection with the royal couple and their major decision to โ€œstep backโ€ from the royal family.

Tyler Lent The Duke and Duchess His Los Angeles Home

In case you forgot, the โ€œDiary of a Mad Black Womanโ€ creator was very instrumental in the Duke and Duchessโ€™ lives in 2020 as they removed themselves from certain royal family duties. As documented in their docuseries โ€œHarry & Meghan,โ€ Perry offered the two of them his L.A. home, as well as a private jet and security team as their temporary exile in Canada became complicated as the COVID-19 pandemic hit the world.

โ€œIโ€™d never met him before,โ€ the duchess explained in the 2022 docuseries. โ€œI was a wreck. I was just crying and crying. Sometimes itโ€™s easier to open up to someone who knows nothing at all, and that was that moment with me and Tyler.โ€

Princess Lilibet Gets a Godfather

Meghan and Harry welcomed their second child, Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor, in 2021 and subsequently asked Perry to be her godfather. Perry recalled the phone call when they asked him in their docuseries, saying, โ€œI thought, โ€˜Iโ€™d be honored. Iโ€™d absolutely be honored.โ€™โ€

โ€œI called them back and go, โ€˜Uh, hold on a second โ€” does this mean we gotta go over [to the U.K.] and do all of that in church with [the royal family] and figure all that out? โ€˜Cause I donโ€™t wanna do that,โ€™ โ€œ he added, giving them just one condition. โ€œโ€˜Maybe we can do a little private ceremony here [in the U.S.] and let that be that, and if you have to do it there, then thatโ€™s okay.โ€™ โ€œ

Tylerโ€™s Loyalty to the Sussexes Has Never Wavered

In a recent interview with the Sunday Times, Perry was naturally asked about Meghan and Harry, specifically if he helped โ€œprepareโ€ the couple for their move to the United States four years ago. โ€œI didnโ€™t,โ€ he replied to the reporter. โ€œMeghan is from California. She knows California well. So there was nothing to prepare them for.โ€

He then took a moment to comment on the intense media coverage of the couple, specifically in the U.K., saying, โ€œWhat I learnt about mentioning them โ€” because thereโ€™s this insatiable appetite to know all about them โ€” is that any question that is asked becomes the headline of anything I say.โ€

He then asked the reporter why โ€œthe appetite so insatiable,โ€ saying, โ€œYouโ€™re from the UK, you tell me.โ€ While the reporter pressed that the headlines in the U.S. are โ€œjust as plentiful,โ€ he responded, โ€œYou think? Well, you would know better than I would because Iโ€™m not paying attention to that world.โ€ Clearly, Perry is not messing around when it comes to his close relationship with the Duke and Duchess.

Meghan Steps Out To Support Perry

Image: Getty Images Photo by Michael Buckner/Variety via Getty Images Image: Getty Images Photo by Michael Buckner/Variety via Getty Images

Just last week, Meghan made a very rare public appearance when she attended the Paley Honors Fall Gala. Supporting Perry, who was recognized that evening both for his trailblazing career in entertainment as well as his philanthropic efforts, Markle hit the carpet to chat with and take some pictures with Perry.

As Vanity Fair reported, Markle was by Perryโ€™s side the entire evening. โ€œShe sat next to him and supported him throughout the entire night,โ€ Vanity Fair reported, adding that Markle comforted him as he held back tears during Oprah Winfreyโ€™s 14-minute speech for him.

Through the highs and lows, itโ€™s clear that Meghan and Tylerโ€™s support of each other is unwavering, and we love to see it.

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