Meghan Markle’s Best Friend Helped Hide Her and Harry From Paparazzi

When the news broke back in September 2016 that Meghan Markle and Prince Harry were officially a couple, it was only natural that Meghan turned to Jessica Mulroney, her best friend and unofficial stylist, for support. And Jessica certainly stepped up, offering Meghan and Harry a place to hide from the cameras.

In her new book, Harry: Life, Loss and Love, royal correspondent Katie Nicholl reveals how, after the tabloids first began to report news of Harry and Meghan’s relationship, the couple were together in Toronto and turned to Jessica and her husband Ben — who were, as Nicholl puts it, “two of the few friends who knew about the romance” — for help.

Meghan and Jessica in 2016. (Photo Credit: Getty Images)

In an excerpt in Vanity Fair, the writer details how Jessica and Ben were “more than happy” to open up their home to shelter the new couple from the paparazzi, adding that Harry was “a big hit” with their three children, seven-year-old twins Brian and John and four-year-old Isobel (who is now rumored to be a flower girl at the forthcoming royal wedding).

“When Harry came to visit the family, he brought a bag filled with gifts,” a source told Nicholl. “He won the kids over in an instant. He was brilliant with them and I think what swung it for Meghan was how good Harry was with them. I actually think that might have been the moment Meghan really fell for Harry. He got to know the Mulroneys quite well, and they liked Harry from the beginning.”

While the couple were holed up in the “sanctuary” of the Mulroneys’ home, Harry was reportedly “fascinated” to hear anecdotes of his mother, Princess Diana. Ben, who is the son of Brian Mulroney, the former Canadian Prime Minister, revealed how the late princess had stayed with his family during an official tour and had “ventured up to the nursery to play with Ben and his three siblings,” having tired of the after-dinner political talk.

“Harry found them immediately kind and welcoming people, and he loved hearing stories about his mother,” a friend of the couple told Nicholl. “Jessica is one of the nicest, sweetest people you will ever meet, and Ben is really easy to get along with.” Could this be yet another clue that Jessica will be on maid of honor duties come May 19?

This post was written by Katie Rosseinsky. For more, check out our sister site Grazia.

Watch the video below to learn more about Meghan Markle’s tough princess lessons.

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