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Over the course of several weeks, Meghan Markle’s former "Suits" co-stars have defended the former American actress against bullying allegations made by Kensington Palace staff during her time as a working royal.
Days before Markle, 39, and Prince Harry’s bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey, the Times of London alleged that the Duchess of Sussex faced a bullying complaint made by one of her close advisers, which Markle’s team has strongly denied.
Following the reports, a number of Markle’s co-workers from the hit USA Network series issued a wealth of praise about Markle in response to the Palace’s allegations.
From Patrick J. Adams to Abigail Spencer, here’s what these "Suits" stars had to say.
Abigail Spencer
Meghan Markle, left, as Rachel Zane, Abigail Spencer as Dana Scott in 'Suits.' (Getty Images)
Abigail Spencer, Markle’s former co-star and friend of over a decade, spoke out against the bullying allegations in early March, calling them "untruths" in a lengthy Instagram post.
"I am extremely private about my friendship with Meg," Spencer, 39, revealed. "I’m not here to tell you her story. That’s for her. So why am I writing this now? I felt drawn - in all this melee, with all the untruths swirling around - to present something real. From a real friend. About a real friend. There are some people who are so bright and exude such deep purpose that they change the molecules in the air simply through their being. She was all of this from the moment I met her fourteen years ago. And remains so to this day."
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Spencer also shared personal anecdotes about their decade-long friendship.
"I've learned so much from Meg," Spencer, 39, wrote. "The power of a handwritten note. The loveliness of surprise flowers. That she has a perpetual rolodex in her brain of recommendations for the heart, soul, & body."
Meghan Markle received support from Abigail Spencer, former co-star and friend of over a decade, after bullying allegations from Kensington Palace surfaced. (Getty Images)
"She’s been there for me - and physically held me - in my darkest hours: After my dad died. After a gut wrenching break up she brought me into her home & nursed me back to health. Soup & salad waiting in the kitchen, just, if I needed it," she continued.
"She’s taken my son in as her own. I can’t tell you the value of having another working mother I can lean on when with the pressures of visibility & child-rearing woes become overwhelming. She’s always been a safe harbor for me, someone I can fall apart in front of... and with. And I have," added Spencer.
Patrick J. Adams
Patrick J. Adams and Meghan Markle co-starred in 'Suits' together. (Getty Images)
Markle’s former on-screen love interest Patrick J. Adams went on a Twitter tirade following the allegations — referring to the royal family’s system as "archaic and toxic."
"Meghan Markle and I spent the better part of a decade working together on Suits," Adams, 39, prefaced the post. "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."
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"She has always been a powerful woman with a deep sense of morality and a fierce work ethic and has never been afraid to speak up, be heard and defend herself and those she holds dear," the actor continued. "Like the rest of the world, I have watched her navigate the last few years in astonishment."
The actor went on to describe how drastically Markle’s life had changed, stating the difficulties the former American actress had to endure acclimating to an "archaic" and "toxic" family dynamic.
"She fell in love, moved to a new country, became a household name across the entire globe and began the difficult work of trying to find her place in a family dynamic that can at best be described as complicated and at worst, seemingly archaic and toxic."
Adams then lamented on his disdain for "racist, slanderous, clickbaiting" reporting that has followed Markle since her marriage to Prince Harry, 36.
"It sickened me to read the endless racist, slanderous, clickbaiting vitriol spewed in her direction from all manner of media across the UK and the world but I also knew that Meghan was stronger than people realized or understood and they would regret underestimating her," he said.
"And then they welcomed Archie," Adams added of Markle and Harry's son, who turns two in May. "And on any sort of decent planet that would be a time to stop sharpening the knives and let these two people enjoy the magical early months and years of starting a family. But we don’t live on that planet and instead the hunt continued."
Adams then slammed the royal family.
"It’s OBSCENE that the Royal Family, who’s newest member is currently GROWING INSIDE OF HER, is promoting and amplifying accusations of "bullying" against a woman who herself was basically forced to flea [sic] the UK in order protect her family and her own mental health," he stated.
He continued: "IMO, this newest chapter and it’s timing is just another stunning example of the shamelessness of a institution that has outlived its relevance, is way overdrawn on credibility and apparently bankrupt of decency."
Adams concluded his post with a resounding statement: "Find someone else to admonish, berate and torment. My friend Meghan is way out of your league."
Jon Cowan
Following the allegations of bullying, one Twitter user wrote in a now-deleted tweet, "You know, it is fully within the realm of possibility that BOTH the denizens of Buckingham/Kensington Palace AND the Duchess of Sussex are awful people. We do live in a world no longer constrained by simply binary oppositions," according to E! News.
Jon Cowan -- a former writer and executive producer for "Suits" – jumped to Markle’s defense following the critical tweet.
"It’s also possible the Duchess of Sussex is a good person thrust into an unimaginable world," Cowan lashed back. "Having spent 3 years working with her in her pre-Duchess days, I saw a warm, kind, caring person. I know nothing of her current situation but she gets the benefit of the doubt in my book."
Eric Roberts
Meghan Markle's former co-star Eric Roberts said Markle was 'not a bully in my experience, at all' in an interview with Inside Edition. (Photo by John Wolfsohn/Getty Images)
Eric Roberts -- who portrayed Charles Forstman in the show’s fourth, fifth and ninth seasons -- noted that Markle never displayed any bullying behavior "in my experience."
"She’s not a bully in my experience, at all," the actor, 64, told Inside Edition on Thursday. "She was always prepared. She was always easy, kind, accessible, approachable and not in a hurry. She could not have been more gracious and was always sweet to me."
Roberts also told the story of how apologetic Markle was for not making a shoot, and instead chimed in via speakerphone.
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"[She] kept apologizing for not being there," Roberts revealed. "She stayed on the phone for the entire read and not just her scenes."
Derek Ursacki
Derek Ursacki, a former assistant director on the show, penned a lengthy tribute to Markle about his experiences with the Duchess—noting that "she was always a pleasure to work with."
"I usually don’t say much or post about the people I have worked with, but I felt compelled to do so now in support of Meghan Markle," Ursacki wrote in the March 9 post. "I spent 5 years working with Meghan on Suits as an assistant director dealing mostly with cast. She was always a pleasure to work with and was always kind with a huge heart, easy going, humble even after the fame of the show and her popularity skyrocketed, so full of life, so giving, supportive and funny."
Meghan Markle's bullying allegations arose days before her and Prince Harry's bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey. (Getty Images)
"It broke my heart to see the interview Sunday night where she talked about things being so bad she did not want to live anymore," he continued. "The media has been so ruthless towards her with so many negative stories attacking her without really knowing what she is truly going through."
"Until you walk a mile in someone’s shoes nobody should judge or make negative comments about anyone and nobody should have to live under constant attack and fear for their safety. In my heart of hearts I know Meg has not changed and is the still the sweet person I worked with for those 5 years. I wish her my very best and thank her for the many great memories I am fortunate and blessed to have had," he concluded.
Silver Tree
"Suits" executive producer Silver Tree shared a touching series of tweets in defense of Markle, along with a series of candid photos of the two.
"This is Meg. A real person- not a cover story," Tree prefaced the tweet. "She is one of my very nearest and dearest. Like all her friends I love her madly."
"She is the friend who insists on always hearing the details of your life, your day, your kids life, your kids day, before hers. Always before hers," she concluded.
"She’s the friend who shares her all of her secrets with you, because despite having so many reasons to put walls up her heart remains as wide open as it always has been," Tree added in another tweet.
Tree also recalled the story of how Markle "stopped everything" to help with Tree’s son, was undergoing a "scary, complicated diagnosis."
"When my son was going through a scary, complicated diagnosis she is the friend who stopped everything and helped map out, step by step, how we would navigate things," Tree tweeted. "She called all the people, all the places when I was too paralyzed to form a plan."
Markle even took the time to make Tree a playlist on her own wedding day.
"On her wedding day she checks in on me in the morning. It’s her day, the world is standing by, it’s a lot-but she wants the day to be special for me. "You’ve come such a long way" she says "Are you jet lagged?" she says "I made you a playlist to listen to while you get ready," Tree shared.
Earlier this month, the Times in the U.K. alleged that the Duchess of Sussex faced a bullying complaint made by one of her close advisers, which Markle’s team has strongly refuted. (Yui Mok/Pool via AP, File)
"When you move to a new city she creates a book of all the special things that city can give you- all the little secrets it offers over to you so you’ll feel less homesick. She leaves it on your doorstep so you have it when you wake up," Tree further tweeted.
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"The friend who stocks her house full of all your very favourite things when you visit and pretends she already had them-just because she wants the moment to be about you not her. It’s always that way with her friends- us before her," Tree concluded.
Aaron Korsh
"Suits" creator Aaron Korsh laid in the praise for Markle on Twitter, noting that the Duchess is "not a monster."
"Meghan Markle is not a monster. She’s a strong woman with a kind heart who’s trying to make her way in an unimaginable situation," Korsh tweeted. "I don’t know the specifics of some incident from years ago but if late night emails makes you a horrible person, then I’m going to hell 50 times over."
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