Tyler Perry says Meghan Markle treated him ‘like a therapist’ when she reached out for help after she and Prince Harry quit the royal family – as he reveals how ‘happy’ they were while ‘hiding out’ at his $18 million mansion

Tyler Perry has claimed that Meghan Markle used him like a ‘therapist’ as he opened up about the extreme measures he took to shield her and Prince Harry in his home.

The 54-year-old sat down with Kelly Ripa on a recent episode of her Let’s Talk Off Camera podcast on SiriusXM.

He explained how he first reached out to mom-of-two Meghan with a note that offered his support before their friendship blossomed.

Perry then famously offered several major assists to the couple when they settled into their lives in America and was later named as Lilibet Diana‘s godfather.

Tyler Perry has claimed that Meghan Markle used him like a ‘therapist’ as he opened up about the extreme measures he took to shield her and Prince Harry in his home

Speaking about the couple, Perry began by explaining how ‘everything is still larger than life for them.’

‘Everywhere she goes or whatever she does or she puts on something, it sells out.  There are paparazzi in the corners,’ he added.

The billionaire filmmaker continued: ‘I just want it to be a safe place not only for her, but you know, there are many people who don’t have a name or who are not a part of a royal family who just need somebody to be there for them so I sent her a note.

‘Everybody thought Oprah introduced us, but Oprah didn’t even know that I reached out to them.’

Perry revealed that the duo had previously shared the same publicist whom he used to deliver the message.

‘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 and we just had a great conversation.

‘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.’

Elaborating further about his friendship with the royal couple, the Hollywood titan explained: ‘They hid out at my house for a long time. It was so great. 

Perry famously offered several major assists to the couple when they settled into their lives in America and was later named as Lilibet Diana ‘s godfather

He offered them his $18 million Beverly Hills home to use as their personal residence after the couple stepped down as senior royals 

‘Every day. Every day that they were there, I looked to see if anything’s happening online. Nothing. They don’t even know, so weeks and weeks they were there. 

‘They were so happy. It was such a beautiful moment.’

Perry offered them his $18 million Beverly Hills home to use as their personal residence after the couple stepped down as senior royals.

Meghan and Harry, along with then one-year-old son Archie, stayed at the eight-bedroom, 12-bathroom Tuscan-style villa for several months in 2020.

The sprawling 22-acre estate is set in the ultra-exclusive Beverly Ridge Estates guard-gated community, offering sweeping views of the city from the backyard.

It is from there that the duo celebrated Archie’s first birthday as they shared tiny glimpses of the home while appearing on video chats and in social media clips throughout their stay.

It is from there that the duo celebrated Archie’s first birthday as they shared tiny glimpses of the home while appearing on video chats and in social media clips throughout their stay 

During a previous interview with The Cut, Meghan, now 42, spoke out about her bond with Tyler, explaining that he got in touch with her after she first wed Harry, 39, in 2018

During a previous interview with The Cut, Meghan, now 42, spoke out about her bond with Tyler, explaining that he got in touch with her after she first wed Harry, 39, in 2018.

She explained that he told her that he was praying for her, and that he ‘understood’ the intense pressure she was under.

According to Meghan, Perry also told her that if she ever needed advice, she could reach out to him – so she did.

She soon began to open up to him about her struggles and the two grew close, despite them never even meeting in person.

‘Sometimes, you can tell your life story to a stranger on a plane as opposed to some of the people that are closest to you,’ she told The Cut.

According to the outlet, Perry offering his home to the pair ‘became, in many ways, the reason that Meghan and Harry started their new life in Southern California.’

He was later named as godfather to Lilibet Diana, now two.