Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are being called out by royal experts for not speaking up after filmmaker Tyler Perry was hit with a $260 million lawsuit. Some people feel their silence is surprising, especially because Perry has been such a close friend and supporter of the couple.
Actor Derek Dixon filed the lawsuit on June 13. He accused Perry of sexual harassment, assault, and creating a harmful work environment while working on the shows The Oval and Ruthless. The situation has gotten a lot of attention, partly because Perry is the godfather of Harry and Meghan’s daughter, Princess Lilibet.
Even with this close connection, Harry and Meghan have not said anything publicly. Fox News Digital reached out to their team at Archewell for a comment but did not get a response.
Royal expert Hilary Fordwich said their silence shows a lack of courage. She believes they are trying to avoid being dragged into a scandal, but this might hurt their image in the long run. She pointed out that Harry and Meghan are already in a tricky position in both Hollywood and the royal world.
Fordwich added that this situation puts them in a tough spot. If Tyler Perry is found innocent, their silence might be seen as disloyal. But if the claims are true, staying quiet could make them look like they only care about protecting themselves.
Tyler Perry’s lawyer, Matthew Boyd, said the claims are false and called them part of a scam. He said Perry will not be shaken and believes the accusations will not stand in court.
Dixon says the assault happened in January 2020, just before Harry and Meghan stepped away from royal duties and moved to California. Around that time, Perry let them stay in his Los Angeles home. They talked about this in their Netflix series Harry & Meghan, sharing how much that help meant to them.
Perry was one of the few famous people who spoke up for Harry and Meghan during their most difficult times. Royal podcast host Kinsey Schofield remembered Harry’s own quote from an interview in 2023, when he said “Silence is betrayal.” She said Perry might now be hoping for some support from the couple in return.
