Prince Harry And Meghan Markle Joined Star-Studded Celebration For Tyler Perry's 55th Birthday
By Favour Adegoke on September 17, 2024 at 4:45 PM EDT
Updated on September 18, 2024 at 8:02 PM EDT
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were among the A-list guests who gathered to honor renowned filmmaker Tyler Perry on his 55th birthday anniversary.
The celebration, attended by famous faces like Oprah Winfrey and Gayle King, came just one day before the Duke of Sussex's 40th birthday.
Prince Harry inherited more than $10 million from his family on his birthday, thanks to a fund set up by the late Queen Mother for her great-grandchildren.
Prince Harry And Meghan Markle Attended Tyler Perry's 55th Birthday Bash
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex joined forces with Tinseltown's elite last Saturday to celebrate Perry's milestone birthday.
According to the Daily Mail, the couple appeared to be in high spirits as they were pictured leaving a $31 million mansion where the event took place in the backseat of a black Range Rover.
Meghan's outfit couldn't be seen clearly from the outside, but Harry wore a grey suit. They reportedly arrived at the venue around 7 p.m. and partied for 4 hours before leaving around 11 p.m., accompanied by a security detail and an unknown friend.
The news outlet reported that an employee from a lighting company hired to help decorate the event observed "a lot of music, dancing and singing" as he left.
"Lots of speeches and food too. Everyone was having a lot of fun. It was a good party. There were a lot of famous people but I cannot say any more," the source said.
The Duke Of Sussex Reportedly Gave A Speech At The Birthday Bash
According to the news outlet, a source claimed that a "male person who sounded like Harry was heard making a speech" during the celebration.
The party was a star-studded affair, with Oprah Winfrey and Gayle King, singer Alicia Keys, and actor Aaron O'Connell in attendance.
Paramount CEO Brian Robbins and his wife, Tracy, who are close friends and neighbors of Meghan and Harry, and French actor Vincent Cassel's spouse, Tina Kunakey, were also present at the party.
The Sussexes' Relationship With Tyler Perry Goes Way Back
Harry and Meghan's appearance at Perry's birthday bash was more than just a celebrity cameo. The couple has had a long-standing friendship with the filmmaker since relocating to the US.
Perry played a significant role in helping them settle down in the US after they left their royal duties in 2020, as he provided them with a temporary home in his Beverly Hills mansion.
In a 2022 interview with The Cut, the former "Suits" actress opened up about her friendship with Perry, explaining that they got acquainted after she married Harry in 2018.
Meghan explained that he sent her a "note" that said he "understood" the pressure she was facing at that time of her life and she could reach out to him if she needed help, which she soon started taking him on.
"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 publication.
According to the news outlet, Perry offering his home to them "became, in many ways, the reason that Meghan and Harry started their new life in Southern California."
Prince Harry Recently Turned 40
The event came one day before Harry marked his 40th birthday celebration on Sunday, September 15. Before his big day, the father-of-two, in a statement shared with BBC, said that he was "anxious about 30" but "excited about 40."
"Whatever the age, my mission is to continue showing up and doing good in the world," he stated, adding that being a father has given him a "fresh perspective on life, as well as sharpening my focus in all my work."
Harry's estranged family made sure to celebrate the occasion, taking to X (formerly Twitter) to share a photo of him seated at a table and laughing.
"Wishing The Duke of Sussex a very happy 40th birthday today!" the Royal Family wrote in the caption.
The official account for Prince William and Kate Middleton, the Prince and Princess of Wales, reposted that tweet from the Royal Family and added a birthday note of their own.
"Wishing a Happy 40th Birthday to The Duke of Sussex!" their message read.
Prince Harry Inherits $10 Million From The Royal Family
According to The Times, Harry's milestone birthday saw him inherit more than $10 million from a trust set up by the late Queen Elizabeth.
In 1994, the Queen Mother put approximately $25 million into a trust fund for her great-grandchildren, with Harry and William claiming the funds in two installments—on their 21st and 40th birthdays.
"There was a trust fund set up at the time. It was a way in which the Queen Mother could set aside money for when her great-grandchildren were older and a way of passing a slice of her estate down in a tax-efficient way," a former palace aide told the news outlet. "It was a way in which some of her estate could be ring-fenced for them."