ESPN Host Ryen Russillo Shares Story of Being Rejected by Meghan Markle

Ryen Russillo, an ESPN host, recently shared a story about being rejected by Meghan Markle before she became the Duchess of Sussex. On an episode of The Bill Simmons Podcast, Russillo recounted meeting Markle at a celebrity flag football game in February 2014. The event included stars like Nina Dobrev, Michael B. Jordan, and Chrissy Teigen. At the time, Markle was best known for her role on the TV series Suits but hadn’t attracted much attention at the event.

Russillo, 49, thought Markle seemed approachable and decided to message her afterward, inviting her onto his sports show, The Ryan Russillo Show, under the guise of discussing the upcoming season of Suits. However, he admitted his real intentions were more personal.

Markle declined the offer, responding briefly, “Oh, I don’t know anything about sports, but thanks for the offer.” Russillo described her response as “ice cold” and believed she wasn’t interested in the professional or personal overture.

Markle continued her role on Suits until 2018, leaving the show to marry Prince Harry. After stepping back from royal duties, the couple moved to California in 2020, where they now live in Montecito with their children, Archie and Lilibet.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have maintained a low profile in recent years and remain distant from the royal family, reportedly not included in this year’s Christmas celebrations at Sandringham.