Inside Meghan Markle's Relationship With Patrick J. Adams

Meghan Markle and Patrick J. Adams go back years. The twosome grew close on-screen as stars of the USA Network legal drama Suits, where Meghan played Rachel Zane, the love interest of Adams' Mike Ross. They appeared alongside each other for seven seasons and first teamed up when the show debuted in 2011, but parted ways on-screen in 2018 when Meghan said goodbye to the show to marry Prince Harry and focus on her role within the British royal family. Before she left to make her real-life vows, however, their characters had a wedding of their own, with Mike and Rachel departing the series together at the end of season seven.

It appears the duo have stayed friendly off-screen following Meghan's departure, as Adams was on hand to celebrate with his co-star at her highly publicized wedding to Prince Harry in May 2018. Adams attended the event in the U.K. with his wife, former Pretty Little Liars star Troian Bellisario, alongside several of their other cast mates, including Gina Torres, Rick Hoffman, Vanessa Ray, Abigail Spencer, and Gabriel Macht (via Harper's Bazaar).

Almost three years after their professional relationship ended, Patrick J. Adams proved he still has Meghan Markle's back. In March 2021, a report from The Times accused Meghan of bullying staff while she was a full-time member of the royal family, after which Buckingham Palace said in a statement (via BBC) that it would be looking into the allegations. Meghan's rep denied the claims and Adams rushed to her defense with a very lengthy thread posted to Twitter in which he vehemently defended his former co-star.

"Meghan Markle and I spent the better part of a decade working together on Suits. From day one she was an enthusiastic, kind, cooperative, giving, joyful and supportive member of our television family. She remained that person and colleague as fame, prestige and power accrued," he began his March 5, 2021 string of tweets. In the messages that followed, he went on to describe Meghan as "a powerful woman with a deep sense of morality" before slamming the royal family, calling the institution, "archaic and toxic." 

Adams also claimed that the royal family had "outlived its relevance" and urged the institution to "find someone else to admonish, berate and torment." Adams finished off the thread by writing, "My friend Meghan is way out of your league."

In the wake of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's shocking tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey on March 7, 2021, Patrick J. Adams proved he was still on Meghan's side after she received mixed reactions for the bombshell chat as she opened up about alleged racist comments from Harry's family and her struggle with suicidal thoughts.

The interview was heavily criticized by Piers Morgan, who announced he would be leaving his co-host role on the British morning show Good Morning Britain after storming off the set. Morgan received heavy backlash for claiming he doubted if Meghan genuinely felt suicidal and if the racist comments by Harry's family were ever made. Per CNN, Meghan filed a complaint to ITV, the network that airs the show, because she was worried about the effect Morgans' remarks "could have on others and how it could degrade the seriousness of mental health issues."

Taking to Twitter on March 10, 2021, Adams showed his support for his friend once again by tweeting, "Cry not for @piersmorgan – there are plenty of bridges for him to find work under. Sincerely, the 'jumped up twerp.'"

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry announced that they were stepping back from the royal family in January 2020 and chose to live in Canada. However, along with their son Archie, they then moved to California in March 2020, which put them close to Patrick J. Adams. In an August 2020 interview with Access Hollywood, he admitted he was "very happy" to have Meghan back in the U.S. Though it's not clear if they have interacted in person since Meghan and Harry's move, Adams suggested they had not seen each other since her return to California, saying, "I miss my friend, but I'm very happy she's doing well."

Adams suggested their friendship was not quite as close as it used to be in a 2019 interview with Radio Times (via Evening Standard) when he admitted that he was "too intimidated" to call her. "I have no doubt I could pick up the phone and call her at any moment, but I don't know what I would say," he said, revealing that they had, in fact, interacted when their children were born. Meghan and Harry welcomed son Archie in May 2019, while Adams and wife Troian Belisario welcomed daughter Aurora in October 2018. They exchanged texts and gifts, but he said he was "a little scared" to call. "I think it's pure fear. I guess I'm scared about the idea of breaking through whatever walls exist to have that conversation," he admitted.

During an interview with the late Larry King, the talk show host playfully accused the duo of having romantic chemistry that could have wandered off-screen. Meghan Markle and Patrick J. Adams sat down with King on Larry King Now in 2013 to promote Suits when the host enquired about a possible real-life romance, teasing, "I'm sensing something." However, both were quick to shut him down, with Adams admitting, "That would never work."

However, Adams did touch on their chemistry when he congratulated the couple after Meghan and Prince Harry confirmed their engagement in November 2017. Adams retweeted the royal engagement announcement and joked that Meghan had told him she was "just going out to get some milk" before adding, "Playing Meghan's television partner for the better part of a decade uniquely qualifies me to say this: Your Royal Highness, you are a lucky man and I know your long life together will be joyful, productive and hilarious. Meghan, so happy for you, friend. Much love."