When the Duke and Duchess of Sussex fled to the US back in 2020 after stepping down from their official royal duties, they credited American actor and producer Tyler Perry with having assisted with the transition.
This week, however, when asked by a member of the press how he helped Harry and Meghan prepare for their new lives overseas, Perry issued an unexpectedly brutal response.
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After alleging to have been subjected to severe criticism from the British tabloids - particularly over Meghan's race, American culture, and divorce history - the Sussexes announced in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic that they'd be resigning from their duties.
Following a brief period in Canada, joined by their infant son Archie, the couple set up shop in Montecito, California, where they've resided ever since.
The years that followed also saw Meghan and Harry make a series of shocking accusations about the way they were treated by several high-profile members of the monarchy, including an unnamed senior royal that had made comments about their son's skin tone.
In his bombshell memoir Spare, Harry also alleged that his brother Prince William had knocked him to the ground during a conversation about his wife - whom he married in 2018 after two years of dating - and that Kate Middleton had left Meghan in tears during a pre-wedding bust-up.
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Amid their turmoil, however, they made the time to credit close friend Tyler Perry for having been there for them throughout their darkest days.
Speaking to Oprah Winfrey in that jaw-dropping interview, they revealed that the Mabel 'Madea' Simmons creator had allowed the trio to stay temporarily in one of his Southern California homes before they found their own place.
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Harry added that the move was particularly appreciated, being that they'd recently had their security access revoked by the institution at the time.
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"While we were in Canada, in someone else’s house, I then got told, short notice, that security was going to be removed," he told the talk show host at the time.
"So suddenly it dawned on me: ‘Hang on, the borders could be closed, we’re going to have our security removed, who knows how long lockdown is going to be, the world knows where we are, it’s not safe, it’s not secure, we probably need to get out of here."
Meghan then revealed it was Perry who offered them a chance to figure out their next move.
According to Meghan, Perry’s offer gave them the chance to figure out what their next move would be.
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"We didn’t have a plan and we needed a house and he offered security as well so it gave us breathing room to try to figure out what we were going to do," the mother-of-two, who welcomed daughter Lilibet with Harry in 2021, continued.
This week, however, after being asked by the Sunday Times how he felt being able to help the couple, 55-year-old Perry issued a rather cold response.
"I didn’t," he brutally began. "Meghan is from California. She knows California well. So there was nothing to prepare them for.
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"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."
Asked by the publication why the tabloid press are seemingly so fascinated with the Sussexes, he quipped back: "You’re from the U.K., you tell me."
Then, after the reporter added that the American media also cover the couple on a regular basis, Perry hit back: "You think? Well, you would know better than I would because I’m not paying attention to that world."
Topics: Celebrity, Royal Family, Meghan Markle, Prince Harry, US News, UK News
Rhianna Benson