Tyler Perry reportedly got abandoned by his Royal Family friends, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, after his scandalous $260 million lawsuit. He was accused of s*xual harassment last month, and Markle & Harry want no part in the case. Most importantly, they don’t want to get dragged into the trial as witnesses.
Perry has a close relationship with the royal couple, and he is the godfather to their daughter, Princess Lilibet. He owned an $18 million mansion in Beverly Hills, LA, which he reportedly offered up to Harry and Markle when they stepped down from the royal family. The couple eventually purchased their own $14 million home in Montecito.
Royal critics slammed Markle and Harry’s silence on the matter. They believed that Perry had stood by their side during some of their toughest times. They felt that it was hypocritical that the couple remained silent now. An insider shared with RadarOnline:
They are remaining quiet on purpose because they do not want to get involved in Tyler’s case. But many think it’s hypocritical, since Tyler Perry has stuck up for them so many times, and it’s bad that the Sussexes don’t say anything to support him now.
The insider also shared that Harry and Markle might’ve felt that anything they say now in support of Perry could be used against them in court. The source shared, “The Sussexes do not want to be on any lawyer’s radar.” However, not saying anything isn’t looking good for them either.
Royal Critic Bashes Prince Harry & Meghan Markle for Not Supporting Tyler Perry
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in a still from Harry – The Lost Prince | Credits: ZDF
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle aren’t the most popular people among royal critics. Their bad-mouthing of the royal family has brought them enough criticism and hate from royal watchers as well as fans. These experts believe that Harry and Markle are essentially banned from the royal family.
Now, they aren’t happy with their silence in Tyler Perry’s $260 million lawsuit. Royal expert Hilary Fordwich told Fox News that the silence of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex in Perry’s case was a demonstration of a lack of moral courage. Fordwich shared:
Instead of offering their stalwart support as good friends who even lived in his home, this silence is a clear demonstration of … a total lack of moral courage.
Fordwich also shared that their silence won’t look good for the couple, given their reputation. She shared, “Their silence to avoid entanglement in a scandal, especially given their precarious standing in both Hollywood and royal circles, won’t look good in the long run.”
Kinsey Schofield, host of the To Di For Daily podcast, also shared that Perry put himself out for the royal couple and fiercely defended them (via Fox News). Schofield claimed, “Harry and Meghan’s silence looks completely self-serving.” The host felt that Markle’s recently active Instagram account and her As Ever brand’s popularity could be used as a platform to voice support for Perry.
Tyler Perry Gets Sued for S*xual Assault and Harassment
Tyler Perry during an appearance on The Tonight Show | Credits: NBC
The Oval actor Derek Dixon filed a $260 million lawsuit against creator Tyler Perry in June 2025. According to the lawsuit, Dixon accused Perry of subjecting him to “escalating s*xual harassment, assault and battery, and professional retaliation” (via BBC).
According to court documents, they met when Dixon was working on an event at Tyler Perry Studios in 2019 (via Page Six). He claimed that he was picked out of a crowd for the role in Ruthless. He claimed that when he retired to a guest room at Perry’s estate after drinking too much in January 2020, the creator made his first s*xual advances towards him.
In the lawsuit, the actor claimed that Perry created “a coercive, s*xually exploitative dynamic” in the workplace. It was further stated in the lawsuit:
Mr Perry made it clear to Dixon that if Dixon ignored Perry or failed to engage with the s*xual innuendos, Dixon’s character [in The Oval] would ‘die’ in the next season. Perry always held this over Mr Dixon’s head, implying that [his character] ‘Dale’ would survive if Dixon kept Perry ‘happy’.
The lawsuit also mentioned several other instances where Perry allegedly made s*xual advances towards the actor. It also included several text messages, in which Perry allegedly made numerous s*xual remarks. Perry’s lawyer denied the allegations and called it a “scam”.
Matthew Boyd, Perry’s lawyer, told the BBC, “This is an individual who got close to Tyler Perry for what now appears to be nothing more than setting up a scam.” Boyd further shared that Perry will not be shaken down by such fabricated claims of harassment.
What do you think of Harry and Markle’s stance on Perry’s case?