Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were joined by Oprah Winfrey for a special book event in California, where the Prince paid tribute to one of his “fairy godmothers”
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle were joined by their mentor, billionaire media mogul Oprah Winfrey, at a star-studded book event in California on Friday. The event, which also saw the likes of Ellen DeGeneres and Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos in attendance, was held for Hollywood literary agent Jennifer Rudolph Walsh and cosmetics entrepreneur Victoria Jackson.
The Duke and Duchess made a stylish entrance to the literary evening, arriving in a sleek Range Rover before mingling with their hosts and other celebrity guests. The venue was inspired by a term Harry used to describe influential women in his life.
At the Montecito bookshop event, Prince Harry honoured his friend and ally Oprah, who he has previously revealed he has a two-word nickname for. The renowned talk show host played a pivotal role in the couple’s decision to step back from Royal duties and relocate to America, conducting their explosive 2021 interview that laid bare their rift with the Royal Family.
Oprah reportedly earned her nickname after helping launch Prince Harry’s own book, Spare. This publication further deepened the divide between Harry, his father King Charles, and brother William, revealing a catalogue of family tensions, disagreements, and outright conflicts for the first time.
Oprah Winfrey ( Image: Getty)
When the Duke and Duchess of Sussex made their move to America, Walsh, Jackson, and Winfrey were the key figures who welcomed them. At his memoir Spare’s launch, Prince Harry reportedly referred to the trio as his “fairy godmothers”, reports the Express, via the Mail.
Little did he know that a year and a half later, he would be standing in a Californian bookshop named ‘Godmothers,’ honouring his tribute, embracing his mentors.
The Royal pair seemed at ease among their friends and peers, grooving to pop star Chappell Roan’s tunes and joining other notable attendees in delivering speeches to the crowd. The Daily Mail reports that photos from the event show the stylish Duchess, dressed in a casual sleeveless collared jumpsuit, warmly embracing close friend Oprah Winfrey during the celebrations.
The couple was also spotted posing for pictures outside the Godmothers bookshop, standing with the owners. Prince Harry even managed to crack a joke when asked for a book recommendation.
Pointing to a copy of his Spare, the Duke suggested his hefty memoir as a good read.
Victoria Jackson, co-founder of the bookshop with Jennifer Rudolph Walsh, revealed to Town and Country their aim for the establishment to be a “safe space” for the Sussexes, who have frequently voiced their concerns about privacy invasion. Jackson commented: “Seeing them be able to come here and be in a safe space… it’s what we want it to be.”
She added: “Their support, and the light that it will shine on Godmothers, is pretty extraordinary. It’s evident that Godmothers isn’t shy about promoting works by its allies, with Harry’s memoir ‘Spare’ and Meghan’s picture book ‘The Bench’ prominently displayed to entice buyers.