Tyler Perry is opening up about his close relationship with Meghan Markle, saying the estranged Duchess of Sussex confided in him like a “therapist” amid her exit from the Royal family.
Tyler Perry is known for his philanthropy
Over the years, Tyler Perry has made it clear that beyond his passion for making films, he also has a passion for helping people. At the Academy Awards in 2021, he was presented with the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award, being honored for the opportunities he’s created for people of color in the entertainment industry.
But, Perry doesn’t only help those in entertainment–he’s also donated funds to bring clean water to tens of thousands of people across multiple countries and donated money to low-income seniors in Atlanta.
There’s no limit to who he wants to help
While his philanthropic efforts are undoubtedly appreciated in those very deserving communities, Perry also helped put a roof over the heads of two unexpected celebrities: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
During a new episode of Kelly Ripa’s Let’s Talk Off Camera podcast, the A Madea Homecoming director revealed that he took the estranged Royals into his home before he’d ever met them in person.
Their relationship was cemented before they ever met
Not only did the billionaire let them stay in his home, he also arranged for the family and all of their belongings to be secretly transported across international borders during the COVID-19 pandemic. He revealed to Ripa that he did so because he “got the tremendous sense” that things were “overwhelming” for Meghan.
“It is very important for people in this business to have a safe place to land, to have a place where they can trust and talk freely and get advice that’s not going to be biased or from somebody who wants something from them,” Perry said.
A lot of people think Oprah introduced them
Though many fans assumed Oprah Winfrey was the one to introduce Tyler Perry to the couple, the director revealed that wasn’t the case. He sent the newlyweds a note for their wedding back in 2018, which resulted in a random phone call from Markle months later.
“I sent them a note…and just said, “‘If you ever need anything, I’m here.’ And she called months later and just talked to me like I was a therapist you talk to and we just had a great conversation.”
Meghan has hinted at their unusual connection before
In an interview with The Cut in 2022, Markle talked about her unexpected connection with Perry, admitting that they didn’t know one another at all before she ended up opening up to him.
“Sometimes, you can tell your life story to a stranger on the plane as opposed to some of the people that are closest to you,” she told the outlet.
Perry was important during their exit from the Royal family
Following their surprising exit from the Royal family in 2020, Harry and Meghan went to Canada in an effort to get out of the spotlight with their son, Archie. their location ended up being revealed, which is when Meghan took Tyler up on his offer to help.
Perry arranged for a private jet to take the family to California, going on to stay in his Beverly Hills home. This is what helped the couple keep their location a secret as they hid out in the mogul’s mansion behind the safety of his security.
Their plan was a total success
“They hid out at my house for a long time, it was so great,” Perry told Kelly Ripa during their conversation.
“Every day. Every day that they were there, I looked to see if anything’s happening online. Nothing,” Tyler said of checking whether paparazzi had discovered the couple’s location. “They don’t even know, so weeks and weeks they were there…They were so happy. It was such a beautiful moment.”
The family even celebrated milestones at Perry’s home
In the Royal couple’s docuseries, Meghan & Harry, they revealed that their baby Archie not only celebrated his first birthday in Tyler’s backyard, but also took his first steps there.
Because of Perry’s huge role in their lives, it should come as no surprise that the couple eventually asked the director to be the godfather to their daughter, Lilibet.
Tyler cannot stop gushing about their baby girl
“Oh, she’s so beautiful. She’s just so beautiful,” Perry said about his goddaughter, who he refers to as ‘Little Lili.’ “They make beautiful babies–that’s all I’ll say. They make some beautiful kids. Archie and Lili are beautiful.”
Tyler recalled the moment he was asked to be Lilibet’s godfather in an episode of their docuseries, and while he had to take a moment to think, his answer was clear.
“They said, ‘We’d like for you to be Lili’s godfather,'” he said. “I go, ‘Woah.’ I had to take a minute to take that in. And I thought, I’d be honored. I’d absolutely be honored.”
Still, he had his reservations
Despite being honored to be Lili’s godfather, Perry later realized that his acceptance might come with a big commitment he didn’t think about sooner.
“I called them back and go, ‘Uh, hold on a second — 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? ‘Cause I don’t wanna do that,’ ” he said. ” ‘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 that’s okay.'”
The ceremony was held at Meghan and Harry’s home in California
Eventually, Princess Lilibet was christened in an intimate ceremony at Harry and Meghan’s home in Montecito, CA. An insider told PEOPLE at the time that there were between 20-30 guests in attendance, including Meghan’s mother, Doria Ragland, Perry, and an unnamed godmother.