News Reader.info

Tyler Perry is revealing a very important title for the first time: godfather to Lilibet Diana. The filmmaker, 53, recalled in the final episode of the Netflix docuseries _Harry &

Meghan_ that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle asked him to accept the role in 2021, after Lili, their second child, was born. Perry said Harry, 38, and Meghan, 41, "were pretty serious on

the phone" when they called to ask, when usually their chats are more lighthearted. "I go, 'Okay, what's going on?' They said, 'Well, we'd like for you to

be Lili's godfather.' I go, 'Whoa,' " Perry continued. "I had to take a minute to take that in." For more on the Royals, listen below to our daily podcast

PEOPLE Every Day. "And I thought, 'I'd be honored. I'd absolutely be honored,' " he added. _CAN'T GET ENOUGH OF _PEOPLE_'S ROYALS COVERAGE? SIGN UP

FOR OUR FREE ROYALS NEWSLETTER TO GET THE LATEST UPDATES ON KATE MIDDLETON, MEGHAN MARKLE AND MORE!_ After getting off the phone with the couple and thinking about what they had asked, Perry

realized his agreement came with a bit of a condition. "I called them back and go, 'Uh, hold on a second — does this mean we gotta go over [to the U.K.] and do all of that in

church with [the royal family] and figure all that out? 'Cause I don't wanna do that,' " he said. " 'Maybe we can do a little private ceremony here [in the

U.S.] and let that be that, and if you have to do it there, then that's okay.' " Earlier in the episode, Perry said he first got acquainted with Meghan after he sent her a

letter ahead of her wedding saying he was praying for her, amid the "hurtful" controversy surrounding her and her strained relationship with her dad, Thomas Markle. "I

couldn't even imagine this woman finding the man that she loved, the man of her dreams, and him being a prince, and then to walk into all of that madness and need the security of family

and then have your father do some horrible things," Perry said. "When my life changed and success started to come, family members became different people, and I know how hurtful

and horrible it can be," he said, adding that he "immediately empathized" with Meghan. RELATED VIDEO: TYLER PERRY OPENS UP ABOUT LETTING MEGHAN AND PRINCE HARRY STAY IN HIS

HOUSE DURING A "DIFFICULT TIME" In the series, both Meghan and Perry recalled their first conversation on the phone years later, during which Meghan cried while opening up about

how she felt she was treated in and by the media. "To tell Meghan that I felt her feelings were valid, [that] hurt," he said. "I didn't want to have to say that to her —

I didn't want her to feel that. But I didn't want to lie to her. She was afraid of them destroying her, or going crazy, or them making her think she was crazy." The

_Jazzman's Blues_ director said he recognized "symptoms" of "abuse," having witnessed his own mother being abused. "This woman was abused. And so was he,"

Perry said of Meghan and Harry's treatment by the palace. "To use the institution to try and do all the things that a batterer would do — like, 'Here's what we're

gonna do: We're gonna cut off the money, we're gonna not leave you security, we're gonna do all those things to make you comply and come back.' " "And for the

both of them to have the wherewithal to say, 'I don't give a damn if it's the palace. I'm out of here.' I applauded that," Perry added. Meghan and Harry

didn't have a plan for somewhere to stay where they would feel safe with their then 1-year-old son Archie Harrison when the COVID-19 pandemic hit in early 2020. Perry then offered them

refuge at his property in Los Angeles, Calif. "You said, 'Stay as long as you need to.' We said, 'Maybe we just stay forever,' " Harry told Perry. "It was

bliss, because no one knew we were there," the prince continued. "It's secret, so at least during COVID-19 we can take the dogs for a walk and have a little slice of normal

life," Meghan is later heard saying from behind the camera during a home video of the couple doing just that. All episodes of _Harry & Meghan_ are now streaming on Netflix.