Chrissy Teigen is a girl’s girl, especially when it comes to her friendship with Meghan Markle.
In a recent interview with People, the model set the record straight about how deeply she “adores” the Duchess of Sussex.
“I really adore her. I think she is so incredibly strong,” Teigen, 44, said during a recent Hello Sunshine Shine Away event, where she was advocating for Type 1 diabetes awareness on behalf of her son, Miles, 7, who was diagnosed last summer.
She continued, “It is insane to me how polarizing she is for so many different people, when she really is just such a kind, good person that wants the best for all her friends and the best for people around her, and the best for her own relationship and for her children.”
The mother of four went on to explain that the “polarizing” moments involving Markle were never meant to provoke the public but were instead a glimpse into the reality that she “just lives simply.”
“She just wants those things,” Teigen explained. “And people come up with all these different things that she could be about or what she wants, but it’s not that complicated. People are always going to read into what they want to read into, and they’re going to hyperfocus on what they want to believe,” she added.
Teigen noted that although people are “going to come up with their own story,” she admires her friend’s ability to rise above the noise.
“I think it’s cool that [Meghan] is just like, ‘Listen, say whatever you want. I’m happy and I’m healthy and I feel good.'”
When asked whether their friendship extends to her children — daughters Luna, 9, and Esti, 2, plus sons Miles, 7, and Wren, 2, whom she shares with husband, John Legend — and if there were any upcoming playdates planned with Markle and Prince Harry’s children, Prince Archie, 6, and Princess Lilibet, 4, Teigen responded candidly.
She said the idea of a get-together would be lovely, but confessed that she “doesn’t leave the house.”
“I’m not joking,” she said with a laugh. “I don’t go anywhere. I try to do every photo shoot, every everything at our house. So no. But if the time came up, absolutely.”
Although Teigen’s glowing words appeared to be a heartfelt tribute to her friend, public reaction was mixed. Some critics voiced their skepticism online.
“What did Maggot pay for this ridiculous article? A lot, I’m sure. No one believes this drivel,” said one Daily Mail reader.
Another wrote, “Is this article for real? Seriously! Two women meet up twice in twenty years, both have kids who haven’t seen each other. Who’s using who here?”
“If Teigen has to defend you, you should know that you are not up to much in the public eye,” one critic commented.
Another added, “Sorry, Chrissy is not helping Meghan’s brand. Meghan is too classy to associate herself with this vile woman. Don’t think they ever even spoke.”
Despite the criticism, the connection between the two women stretches back nearly two decades, when they both worked as briefcase models on the hit game show “Deal or No Deal.” Markle appeared on the show between 2006 and 2007, while Teigen worked on the pilot and first season in 2005.
Although they hadn’t seen each other in almost 20 years, the two reunited when Teigen joined Markle for an episode of her Netflix series, With Love, Meghan.
During the episode, Markle reminisced about her early Hollywood audition days.
“I remember getting so nervous and always turning blotchy. I started wearing turtlenecks to hide it!” she said. She expressed excitement about reconnecting with Teigen after nearly two decades and recalled the fun chaos backstage, including a moment when they removed their false eyelashes and placed them in a Ziploc bag. Reflecting on how much their lives have changed since then, Markle said, “I was just happy to have health insurance back then. Then you got famous, and I was amazed!”
