Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have reportedly severed ties with media tycoon Tyler Perry following a lawsuit filed by a former employee accusing him of workplace harassment.
Aspiring actor Derek Dixon has taken legal action against Tyler, seeking $260 million and alleging sexual harassment and assault within the workplace. The complaint, submitted in California on June 13, claims that the filmmaker fostered “a coercive, sexually exploitative dynamic” atmosphere while working on Tyler’s TV productions “The Oval” and “Ruthless.”
At 55, Tyler is the godfather to Harry and Meghan’s daughter, Princess Lilibet of Sussex. The filmmaker provided Harry and Meghan with an $18 million mansion in California after they stepped away from their royal responsibilities in London and relocated to the U.S. in 2020.
In June 2020, the couple purchased a residence in Montecito, California and moved out of Tyler’s property.
Tyler stated that he first got to know Meghan, 43, after sending her a letter prior to her 2018 royal wedding. He expressed to the former “Suits” actress that he was praying for her amidst the “hurtful” remarks made by her father, former Hollywood lighting director Thomas Markle.
“I couldn’t even fathom this woman finding the man that she loved, her dream partner, only to step into all of that chaos and need the support of family while facing horrible actions from her father,” Tyler remarked. “When my life transformed and success began to arrive, my family members changed into different people, and I can relate to how painful and awful that can be,” he continued.
Critics of the royal family have targeted Meghan and Harry for their silence regarding Tyler’s sexual harassment controversy.
“Rather than providing steadfast support as true friends should, particularly those who once resided in his home, this silence exemplifies… a complete absence of moral courage,” British royal expert Hilary Fordwich commented to Fox News Digital.
“Their silence to evade involvement in a scandal, especially considering their tenuous position in both Hollywood and royal spheres, will not bode well for them in the future,” Fordwich added.
She noted that Harry and Meghan find themselves in a “lose-lose situation” as distancing from Tyler has backfired on them.
“Harry and Meghan are in a lose-lose predicament. Keeping their distance has backfired no matter the outcome. If Tyler Perry is cleared of charges, their absence of support will appear as a betrayal, further damaging their credibility among friends and potential allies. Conversely, if the allegations against Tyler Perry are substantiated, their attempt to distance themselves to safeguard their brand will still come off as opportunistic and ungrateful,” Fordwich explained.