When Oprah appeared as a guest at Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding, many were surprised. This is because the relationship between the talk show queen and the Sussexes was completely unknown. And in fact, at the time of the wedding, Oprah had not formed a close relationship with the royal couple. But with 600 people in attendance, not everyone is going to be a close friend or family member. A fact that anyone who has thrown a wedding well understands.

In the months before the wedding took place, Oprah had spent time with Meghan’s mother, Doria Ragland. The two had built a friendly relationship doing yoga, grabbing a bite to eat, and even picking fruit from Oprah’s garden. As such, there was a connection to Meghan that very few were privy to.

Oprah happened to be in London weeks before Prince Harry and Meghan were to be married. It was at that time that Meghan contacted Oprah and invited her to Kensington Palace. The two made an impression on one another and as a result, Oprah was given an invite to the wedding. But a good impression does not friends make. This is why the relationship between Oprah and Meghan Markle has been called into question as being authentic or for show.

Here is information on whether Oprah and Meghan Markle are friends or using each other to build their brands.

How Oprah And Meghan Markle Met

The reason that Oprah and Meghan were in contact with one another initially was that the OWN owner wanted to sit down for an interview with the Suits alum before she was married.

While Oprah does have contacts, she used CBS to help reach out to the former actress. The same network that Oprah’s good friend, Gayle King works for.

It is not known if Gayle was part of helping Oprah and Meghan speak in the first place. But what is known is that when Oprah reached out for an interview, Meghan “nicely” turned her down. This was reportedly because the royal family did not authorize it.

Not only did Meghan have to turn the interview down, she had to do so with a room full of palace staff versus having a “conversation with [Oprah] personally.”

However, weeks later, Oprah was in London. Meghan became privy to this information and reached out to her for a personal meeting on palace grounds. And that is how the two influential women first had a face-to-face conversation.

Networking Is An Important Part Of Staying Relevant

In the early days of their relationship, it is very possible that both Meghan and Oprah were in contact with one another to network and remain relevant. This would be something that was important for one woman who was well-established in the world of journalism and another who was becoming a household name, virtually overnight.

A move that was not done divisively or with malice. But instead, a symbiotic relationship where each benefited.

After attending the wedding in 2018, Oprah remained connected to the royal couple. Not only did she say she sent a “standard gift that I do for people that I really care about” after Archie was born but spoke out on more than one occasion in defense of the Sussexes.

“I support them 1,000%,” Oprah explained, referencing the Sussex’s decision to step down as senior royals.

Oprah went on to explain that she believed Harry “did what he needed to do for his family.”

Whether this was as a result of media coverage she had seen or Oprah’s conversations with the couple is unclear. But what is crystal clear is that The Oprah Winfrey Show host stood behind the couple whenever networks asked her opinion, keeping her name attached to the royals.

A move that made her the only choice when it came time for the explosive interview Prince Harry and Meghan would give the following year.

Meghan also used Oprah’s name to network. This was done when she gifted her neighbor with a basket full of coffee – coffees from a company that Meghan was an investor in.

This coffee gift quickly became a favorite of Oprah’s and she let her Instagram followers know. And when something is a favorite of Oprah’s, it is a favorite of her millions of fans. As such, there was likely more interest in the coffee brand after Oprah’s video than there was before.

And of course, there was the interview that was heard around the world.

While it can be looked at as Oprah wanted the interview with the Sussexes to “prove she is still ‘hot'” and the Sussexes wanted the interview done by Oprah to give themselves legitimacy to their claims about The Firm, it is more likely that Oprah wanted to give Prince Harry and Meghan an opportunity to speak their truth as a way to show she was “pulling for them.”

In turn, the royal couple likely just wanted someone they could trust in the journalistic world to tell their story without it being twisted. And this is something they could count on Oprah for.

If there was not a true friendship being built before that Oprah interview aired, one was certainly formed after.

Friendship Has Bloomed Over Royal Controversy

After the interview with Oprah aired and the royal family made few comments on it, of course, the long-time talk show host was asked her opinions on it. And while she may not have been anticipating that the interview would have the reverberations it did, public opinion did not cause Oprah to turn her back on the couple.

In fact, in the months ahead, the entrepreneur made it clear just how close the Sussexes and she had become.

After Lilibet was born, rumors swirled that Oprah would be the godmother. And while she never confirmed nor denied that she was the godmother, Oprah made it clear that a title to “play a role” in the little one’s life.

“I’m a godmother by default, you know, I’m a neighbor, I’m a friend and all that.”

While the relationship between Oprah, Prince Harry, and Meghan may have started off as a networking opportunity, it has bloomed into a real friendship. And that is something that should be treasured given how difficult that can be to find the higher profile a celebrity one is.