Five years after Megxit: Harry and Meghan’s closest confidants

On January 8, 2020, Prince Harry (40) and Duchess Meghan (43) caused a big bang in the British royal family. “After many months of reflection and discussion, we have decided to find a new progressive role for ourselves in this institution,” they said in a surprising statement, initiating Megxit. Because a new role could not be found for her, instead there was a break with the Royal Family. The couple left Great Britain, moved first to Canada and then to Meghan’s native California. They live in Montecito with their two children Archie (5) and Lilibet (3) and now have to make their own living.

Not everything seems to be going according to the couple’s plan. Meghan’s podcast ended after just one season, and Harry’s Netflix polo documentary recently received a lot of criticism. Her image has suffered greatly in Great Britain, but also in the USA, following her settlements with the Royal Family. It seems to have become lonelier for the former power couple for the crown. Meghan does not have a good relationship with parts of her family, and relations with the royals are considered to be broken. Even celebrities like the Clooneys and the Beckhams, who attended the wedding in 2018, are no longer seen with the Sussexes. But there are still some allies.

With talk legend Oprah Winfrey (70), Meghan has one of the most famous women in the USA on her side. Shortly before the wedding in 2018, they are said to have gotten together over a project. A friendship is said to have developed between the former “Suits” actress and the powerful TV woman, with Oprah Winfrey serving as a mentor and advisor to the Duchess.

She is considered a loyal supporter of the couple and stood by both of them as they stepped away from their royal duties and started their new business ventures in the USA. she said at the time: “I support her 1,000 percent.” Their bond has only grown stronger over the years, especially after the Sussexes moved into a $14 million mansion in Montecito, close to Winfrey’s estate.

It was also Winfrey who offered Harry and Meghan a large platform to tell their side of things for the first time with the sensational interview in 2021. She has also frequently advertised her “neighbor Meghan’s” products.

The Duchess still has many contacts through her previous acting career. Colleagues like “Office” star Mindy Kaling (45) and “Suits” co-star Abigail Spencer (43) are sticking by her. They will also appear as guests in the new Netflix series “With Love, Meghan”, in which Harry’s wife gives lifestyle tips from January 15th. Kaling just raved about the filming and Meghan’s cooking skills on the sidelines of the Golden Globes. She simply “blown her away” and appearing on the show was “probably one of the most glamorous moments” of her life.

Tennis star Serena Williams (43) is also one of Meghan’s best friends. They met at a charity event in New York in 2014 – before Meghan met her prince. “We hit it off straight away, took photos, laughed and talked – not about tennis or acting, but about good old girl stuff. That’s how our friendship began,” Meghan once described the friendship on her defunct blog “The Tig”.

Actor and producer Tyler Perry (55) helped the couple gain a foothold in the USA. He temporarily let the royal dropouts live in one of his properties. Meghan and he are said to have had a common publicist, which is what connected them. After leaving Great Britain, he offered the couple his help, as he revealed in their Netflix documentary “Harry & Meghan” (2022). A deep friendship then developed, so much so that he even became Lilibet’s godfather. When Perry received an award at the Paley Honors Fall Gala on December 4, 2024, Meghan was at his side. She can count on his secrecy because he keeps a low profile when it comes to the media. And when he says something, it’s only positive. He squashed any rumors of a marital crisis between the couple: “They love each other. They have a wonderful family and I just want the best for them.”

The prince can also rely on several “fatherly figures” who will mentally accompany him on his steps in the USA and fill the “emotional vacuum” a few days ago. For example, his uncle Earl Spencer (60), brother of Princess Diana (1961-1997). He walked alongside Harry and William, 42, as they followed their mother’s coffin in 1997. According to reports, he was against the two young princes having to undertake this difficult journey. The bond is said to be close to this day. In the acknowledgments to his biography “Reserve,” Harry wrote: “Outstanding thanks go to my mother’s siblings for their love, support, time and perspective.”

The prince has also been able to count on former royal equerry Mark Dyer since the 1990s. He was an important mentor, especially after Diana’s death, and even became Archie’s godfather.

Canadian film composer David Foster, 75, appears to have taken the Duke under his wing in recent years, helping the Sussexes find accommodation in Canada before moving to California. In 2020, his wife Katharine McPhee (40) told “Access Hollywood”: “My husband has a really, really nice relationship with Harry. They are like father and son.” This is likely for Harry, who hardly has any contact with his father, King Charles III. (76), should have, be priceless.