Meghan Markle and Tyler Perry caused an internet storm last week when they posed on the red carpet together at the 2024 Paley Honors Fall Gala in Los Angeles.
The Duchess of Sussex stepped out to support producer Tyler – her close confidante since 2018 – as he was honoured with the Paley Honors Award for his contributions to media and philanthropy. The pair were seen hugging and smiling for photos before they were later pictured sitting together alongside pal Oprah Winfrey.
Meghan’s appearance at the event raised more than a few eyebrows among fans. Not only did she attend without husband Prince Harry – marking yet another solo outing and fuelling further speculation that the couple are living separate lives – but she also faced criticism about her friendship with Tyler.
One wrote, ‘Tyler Perry is very, very rich and has been generous to Meghan in the past. He also has many connections. Of course she’s going to be there.’ Another said, ‘I think Tyler Perry was happy to allow Meghan to be a host of this event in response to everything he has done for her — but it’s pretty clear they don’t hang out on the regular,’ and a third speculated, ‘Tyler will be husband no. 4.’
Meghan – who wore a strapless black Oscar de la Renta gown – also came under fire for ‘lingering’ on the red carpet, with many accusing her of trying to steal the limelight. One social media user wrote, ‘The red carpet is a place to walk efficiently down, pause, have a few pictures taken in a couple of different poses, and then walk off. An A-list celebrity should be on the red carpet 15-20 seconds tops. The D-listers, like Meghan, like to walk back and forth and back again and then again.’ Another said, ‘MM stayed on the red carpet too long,’ while someone else added, ‘Meghan just loving being on that red carpet, does she understand you are supposed to get papped then leave?’
Meghan, 43, and Harry, 40, are famously close to Tyler, who is the godfather of their three-year-old daughter Lilibet. The film maker first got in touch with Meghan ahead of her 2018 wedding to Harry, sending her a note to express his sympathy regarding her public estrangement from her father, Thomas Markle. In 2020, he lent his $18million Los Angeles home to the couple – who are also parents to five-year-old son Archie – after announcing they were quitting royal life and relocating to California.
In their 2022 Netflix documentary, Harry & Meghan, Meghan opened up about her bond with Tyler saying, ‘I’d never met him before. I was a wreck. I was just crying and crying. Sometimes it’s easier to open up to someone who knows nothing at all, and that was that moment with me and Tyler.’
While Tyler previously revealed Meghan treated him ‘like a therapist’ after leaving the royal family, he was less forthcoming in a recent interview with the Sunday Times. When asked about how he helped the couple prepare for their move, he hit back, ‘I didn’t.’ He continued, ‘Meghan is from California. She knows California well. So there was nothing to prepare them for. But I will say this: what I learnt about mentioning them – because there’s this insatiable appetite to know all about them – is that any question that is asked becomes the headline of anything I say.’
And when asked why he thinks that is, he responded, ‘You’re from the UK, you tell me.’ The interviewer then said that headlines are equally abundant in the US, to which Tyler replied, ‘You think? Well, you would know better than I would because I’m not paying attention to that world.’
However, speaking at the Paley Honors Fall Gala, Tyler appeared less frosty as he gushed about the couple. ‘It’s a real, pure and beautiful friendship. I love them,’ he said. ‘They love each other. They have a beautiful family and I just want the best for them.’
Meanwhile, the same day, Harry also addressed recent speculation about their marriage. While he and Meghan were both part of the Tribute Host Committee Chairs for the Paley Honors Fall Gala, he instead attended the annual Deal Book Summit in New York. During a conversation at the event, he had a tetchy response to the interviewer, ‘Apparently we’ve bought or moved houses 10, 12 times. We’ve apparently divorced maybe 10, 12 times as well. So it’s just like, “What?” It’s hard to keep up with, but that’s why you just sort of ignore it. The people I feel most sorry about are the trolls. Their hopes are just built and built, and it’s like, “Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes,” and then it doesn’t happen.’
Fans have been quick to point out that Harry has been leading somewhat of a separate life from Meghan as he embarks on more and more solo trips – with some raising questions as to whether all is well within their six-year marriage.
‘They were inseparable at one stage, seem to be spending quite a lot of time apart lately,’ one said, while someone else added, ‘She said they are like salt and pepper and always move together. They don’t seem like that anymore. I wonder why?’
A source previously revealed of their relationship, ‘Meghan and Harry are worlds apart from where they were even a year ago and have become increasingly distanced, both emotionally as well as physically. Understandably, spending large chunks of time apart creates distance in any relationship and while they’ve tried hard to reconnect when they’re together, the closeness and strong connection they always had has started to fizzle the more Harry’s been away. It’s no secret they’ve been living separate lives for some time now.’
They added, ‘Meghan’s pals have assured her that they’re approaching the “seven-year itch” and have put it down to being at that time when all marriages go through a rocky phase. They’ve endured more stress and upheaval than many marriages endure in a lifetime, and while Meghan knows how well they’ve done to weather so many storms in just six years, it’s understandably left her feeling panicked and anxious about their future.’