Meghan Markle’s bestie makes rare comments about their ‘close’ friendship

‘I’m so grateful to have you by my side,’ Meghan Markle’s close friend wrote on Instagram

Meghan Markle’s longtime friend, Kelly Zajfen, has shared a rare comment about their “close” friendship.

Zajfen took to Instagram on October 7 to share a sweet tribute to the Duchess of Sussex, which included a photo of the pair posing at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles 2024 Gala. In the caption, she applauded Meghan’s work with the hospital and its doctors, before opening up about their relationship.

“I was also beyond grateful to share in this beautiful evening with one of my closest friends. Meg, your commitment to supporting Children’s Hospital Los Angeles and community is truly inspiring. I’m so grateful to have you by my side,” Zajfen wrote.

She also praised the staff at the Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles and the way they’ve cared for her daughter Lily, who has a heart condition.

“My deepest gratitude to Children’s Hospital Los Angeles for the extraordinary care they give to our daughter Lily. Our journey began when she was just two and a half, and from that day forward, we’ve experienced nothing but kindness, hope, care, and unmatched expertise,” Zajfen – who’s a heart ambassador for the hospital – wrote earlier in the caption. “Our team at Children’s has given us strength and hope during the most challenging moments and their continued commitment to Lily’s care has made all the difference to our family.”

Her Instagram photo showed the two friends holding hands and laughing, as Zajfen wore a lacy, lavender dress, paired with a dark purple clutch. Meanwhile, Meghan repurposed her iconic red dress, which she previously wore to the New York Salute to Freedom Gala in 2021.

Last month, Zajfen made another effusive comment about Meghan and her husband, Prince Harry. The royal couple made an appearance at Zajfen’s annual tennis tournament for her late son, Georgie (twin brother to Lily), who died unexpectedly in 2022 after contracting a viral illness. The event was also a fundraiser for the Alliance for Children’s Rights, which aims to provide stability for children in the foster care system and those at risk of entering it.

Kelly Zajfen and Meghan Markle at the Children’s Hospital LA gala (Getty Images for Children's Hosp)

Zajfen later shared an Instagram post from the occasion, which included a snap of her and her family posing with Meghan and Harry. In the caption, she not only revealed that the couple’s Archewell Foundation sponsored the tournament, but she also shared how her friends helped her after Georgie’s passing.

“Harry and Meghan, you have been such a guiding light for our family not just In the way you have shown up in friendship but how you have shown up through the incredible work The Archewell Foundation does everyday,” she wrote. “I’m in awe of your commitment to community and to friendship. On behalf of the Alliance for Children’s Rights, we thank you. On behalf of our family, we love you.”

In April, Meghan participated in Zajfen’s campaign for her organization, Alliance of Moms, which features a community of philanthropists who support parenting youth in Los Angeles’ foster care system. For the campaign, Zajfen, Meghan, and former Suits star Abigail Spencer each wore a white shirt, which had red text that read: “Love Like A Mother.”

Zajfen also opened up about how she’s inspired by Meghan and Spencer, who are both parents as well.

“When we speak about the people in our lives who lift us up when you need it with undeniable force of pure love, I think of these two. You inspire me. You pick me up when I need it and you Love Like A Mother!” she wrote in the caption of her Instagram post at the time.

Meghan is a mother of two, as she shares a five-year-old son, Archie, and three-year-old daughter, Lilibet, with Harry. Meanwhile, Spencer and her ex-husband, Andrew Pruett, share a 16-year-old son, Roman.