Meghan Markle knows all too well what it’s like to be on the receiving end of tabloid gossip, but she’s extremely grateful to one former co-star who turned down the opportunity to make some money at her expense. Simon Rex, who appeared with Markle on a 2005 episode of the sitcom, Cuts, was offered quite a substantial amount of money to make up a story about the Duchess of Sussex.
Even though they only had one friendly lunch together that was definitely not a date, the Red Rocket star was approached by a U.K. tabloid to say he slept with her in exchange for $70,000. It came at a time when, Rex revealed to The Guardian, he was “broke as f**k,” but that wasn’t going to sway his response to the media outlet. “I really needed the money,” he said. “But I’ll be on food stamps before I do that.” Word got back to Markle who sent him an appreciative note in return. “She said: ‘It’s nice to know there are still good people,’ ” he shared while also mentioning that he (adorably) framed the letter and has it displayed in his home.
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This isn’t the first time he’s mentioned the incident, though. He talked about it in 2020 on the Hollywood Raw podcast, giving more context as to why he declined to take the money. “I said no to a lot of money because I didn’t feel like f**king up the royal family,” he explained. It’s nice to see someone who didn’t take the easy route, even when he needed the money the most — Rex’s character was far stronger than the financial temptation.
And while he and Markle weren’t anything more than work acquaintances, it’s lovely that she expressed her gratitude in a meaningful way. The thank-you note obviously resonated with Rex just as much his act of kindness meant the world to Markle.
Before you go, click here to see the craziest conspiracy theories Meghan Markle has faced since becoming a royal.
