Star reveals Meghan’s rejection: ‘Ice cold’

A former US TV host has revealed the then-Suits star’s blunt rejection of him when he attempted to slide into her DMs.

Former ESPN presenter Ryen Russillo has revealed the blunt rejection message he received from Meghan Markle after believing she was “obtainable” following a chance meeting.

In a new episode of The Bill Simmons Podcast, the media personality opened up about encountering the then-Suits actress at a celebrity flag football game in early 2014.

“It was all of the [Sports Illustrated] swimsuit models. So, nobody was really paying any attention to Markle,” Russillo, 49, told the host.

“I was like, ‘That’s my lane. She’s probably doubting herself a little bit right now. She’s never been more obtainable’.”

Sports media personality Ryen Russillo admitted he was shot down by the then-Suits actress. Picture: Gustavo Caballero/Getty Images

Meghan at The Paley Honors Fall Gala honouring Tyler Perry in Beverly Hills last week. Picture: Unique Nicole/Getty Images

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Russillo didn’t make a move at the game, but instead opted for a more subtle approach later – via a business offer in her social media DMs.

He explained that he’d suggested Meghan appear on his sports program, The Ryen Russillo Show, to promote season four of Suits, which had been about to premiere.

Despite the professional context, he admitted to Simmons that he’d had an ulterior motive.

“It was a very soft sell,” Russillo said.

“It was, ‘Hey, I know the new season … is coming out if you ever want to come on the show to promote it.’ It was really professional.”

But Meghan reportedly wasn’t having a bar of it.

“It was ice cold,” Russillo recalled of her response.

“It was, ‘Oh, I don’t know anything about sports, but thanks for the offer.”

Meghan began dating Prince Harry a little over two years later, and quit Suits in the lead-up to their royal wedding in 2018.

Harry and Meghan have been married for six years. Picture: Emmanuel Osodi/Anadolu via Getty Images

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Harry and Meghan, along with son Prince Archie, five, and daughter Princess Lilibet, three, are now based in Montecito, California, having quit royal duties in 2020.

Initially, they launched a flurry of joint projects and initiatives, but are now focusing on their own professional paths – which has prompted rumours of issues in their relationship.

The Duke of Sussex addressed the speculation directly for the first time during an appearance at The New York Times’ 2024 DealBook Summit last Wednesday, which took place at the same time as his wife hit the red carpet at a gala in Beverly Hills.

“Apparently we’ve bought or moved house 10, 12 times,” Harry said while on stage at the event.

“We’ve apparently divorced maybe 10, 12 times as well. So it’s just like, what?’”

He added that he felt “sorry” for the online “trolls”.

“It’s hard to keep up with, but that’s why you just sort of ignore it. The people I feel most sorry about are the trolls,” Harry said.

“Their hopes are just built and built, and it’s like, ‘Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes,’ and then it doesn’t happen. So I feel sorry for them. Genuinely, I do.”