For years, rumors have circulated about a rift between the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, and her once-close friend, Jessica Mulroney. Despite these speculations, Ben Mulroney, Jessica’s former husband and a well-known Canadian television host, insists that the two women remain on “positive terms.”

Jessica Mulroney was once Meghan’s most loyal ally and confidante, trusted with some of her most personal secrets, including the beginnings of Meghan’s relationship with Prince Harry. It was Jessica who Meghan turned to first, calling her from the grounds of Kensington Palace when Harry proposed.

Their friendship was further highlighted during Meghan’s wedding. Jessica’s twin sons, John and Brian, played a significant role by carrying Meghan’s train as she made her way down the aisle at St George’s Chapel, Windsor. Her daughter, Ivy, also participated as a bridesmaid alongside Princess Charlotte.

However, in 2020, reports emerged suggesting a fallout between the two friends. This supposed estrangement followed a controversy involving Jessica, who faced backlash and was “cancelled” after a public disagreement on social media with an influencer regarding the Black Lives Matter movement.

Her twin sons, John and Brian, even had the honour of carrying the train of Meghan’s dress as she walked down the aisle at St George’s Chapel, Windsor, while her daughter, Ivy, was a bridesmaid alongside Princess Charlotte.

But in 2020, Jessica was reportedly cut adrift by her former best friend – when the Canadian stylist was effectively cancelled due to a social media spat with an influencer over Black Lives Matter.

Now, however, Jessica’s ex-husband – whom she split from in July last year after 16 years of marriage – has claimed otherwise.

He told Hello: ‘It’s Jess’ story to tell, I wouldn’t speak for her,’ before adding: ‘But from what I understand, they’re on positive terms.’

Ben Mulroney, pictured, has claimed that his former wife, Jessica Mulroney, is on ‘good terms’ with Meghan Markle

Jessica met Meghan when she was filming legal drama Suits in Toronto, and the stylist went on to attend her wedding to Prince Harry in 2018 having helped keep their dates in Canada and London secret in the summer of 2016.

In her 2022 Netflix documentary, Meghan shared footage of the night Prince Harry proposed in 2017 – where she FaceTimed her friend ‘Jess’ as she walked the grounds of Kensington Palace.

Before she married Prince Harry, the then-actress would often gush about Jessica online – with the pair often going on holidays together.

The Duchess said that ‘the room stops’ whenever her friend ‘shows up at an event’.

Despite their close relationship, insiders claimed that the Duchess had cut ties with Jessica in 2020, after she became embroiled in a ‘feud’ with influencer Sasha Exeter.

At the time, an insider claimed to Page Six that the duo’s relationship was already on the rocks because Meghan felt Jessica was trying to ‘make a career out of the friendship’.

‘The white privilege row has really given Meghan the excuse she was waiting for to cut Jess off for good,’ the source said. ‘I don’t know what the tipping point was, but Jess has been on the outs for some time.’

Ever since then, it was thought that Meghan kept a distance from her former friend. There was also no mention of her in Harry’s book, Spare.

Pictured: Jessica Mulroney, Ben Mulroney and Meghan Markle at the World Vision event  in Toronto, Canada, in 2016

Jessica was also not invited to take part in the Duchess’s recent project – With Love, Meghan, when others in her social circle were.

Meghan hasn’t been seen in public with Jessica in five years. They do not follow each other on social media either.

The alleged breakdown in their relationship was thought to have been related to Jessica’s online spat with an online personality over Black Lives Matter.

The clash, which occurred in the wake of the death of George Floyd, saw Jessica ‘take offence’ to a ‘generic call to action’ post Sasha Exeter had shared about the movement.

According to Sasha, she and Jessica then argued about the importance of ‘speaking up’.

Sasha said she felt Jessica ‘threatened’ her during the argument, claiming the mother-of-three had written to her: ‘I have also spoken to companies and people about the way you have treated me unfairly. You think your voice matters. Well it only matters if you express it with kindness and without shaming people who are simply trying to learn. Good luck.’

In a follow-up video, Sasha, also from Toronto, said: ‘What happened next was a series of very problematic behaviour and antics.

‘I’m by no means calling Jess a racist but what I will say is this: She is very well aware of her wealth, perceived power and privilege because of the colour of her skin and that, my friends, gave her the momentary confidence to come for my livelihood in writing. Textbook white privilege really, in my personal opinion.’

Jessica split from her husband after 16 years of marriage (pictured together, with their three children)

Jessica at Meghan’s wedding in 2018, with her daughter Ivy and the now Princess of Wales and Princess Charlotte

In a comment posted on the video clip, Jessica said she was ‘unequivocally sorry’, writing: ‘As I told you privately, I have lived a very public and personal experience with my closest friend where race was front and centre. It was deeply educational.’

Shortly after posting the clip about Jessica, Sasha claimed she had been targeted by trolls who were sending her death threats.

Sharing an video to her Instagram stories in her dressing gown, Sasha said: ‘I’ve been up since 4am responding to trolls.

‘I was totally prepared to be bullied and I knew I was opening myself up to being criticized by people who don’t really understand why I did what I did, but let me make clear that any threats to my personal safety will not be tolerated.’

Jessica issued further public apologies but was dropped by a number of television networks, including Good Morning America.

In Canada her wedding-themed reality TV show I Do Redo was pulled.

In September 2020, Jessica addressed the rumours of a rift between her and the Duchess on social media.

She wrote on her Instagram Stories: ‘I’m going to tell this once and for all. Meghan and I are family.

Pictured: Jessica and Meghan at the World Vision Event in Toronto, Canada, in 2016

‘She is the kindest friend and has checked up on me everyday.’

Six months later, Jessica shared a photo of the flowers she received from Meghan on her 41st birthday, on which she wrote: ‘LUCKIEST FRIEND XXXX, THX MM.’

The following year however, it was thought that their friendship had soured.

In June 2021, the mother-of-three posted a cryptic quote on her Instagram Story, which read: ‘Life changes. You lose love. You lose friends. You lose pieces of yourself that you never imagined would be gone.’

Two months later, she told her followers: ‘It can be lonely having the world, friends distance from you and not even ask how you are. But, thankfully, you find the things that truly matter…’

The following year, Jessica posted a picture of a sign reading: ‘You are not too sensitive. You are not overreacting. If it hurts you it hurts you.’

She captioned the post: ‘I wish I had a seen this a long time ago. I hope it makes a difference in your day too.’

It couldn’t have been further from the heyday of their friendship, as Jessica was once on FaceTime to her best friend as Prince Harry popped the question and stole the show on the big day as she posed on the steps of St George’s Chapel alongside Kate Middleton.

It has been a tumultuous few years for Ms Mulroney. 

She split from her husband Ben after 16 years over the summer. The couple have three children – twins Brian and John and daughter Ivy.

Ben is the eldest son of Brian Mulroney, the former Prime Minister of Canada. He is himself a TV presenter and radio host, with a career at Canadian network CTV spanning 20 years.

He also hosted Canadian Idol from 2003 to 2008 and Canadian national show Your Morning.

In November last year, in one of their final posts together, Jessica admitted they had ‘forgotten’ their anniversary.

The couple met when they were 17 and 14, when Jessica went to a nearby school to his brother. Ben told PostCity previously: ‘I had never seen a more beautiful girl.’

Their first date wasn’t until years later, when Ben visited Montreal on a break from Canadian Idol and they went for sushi and karaoke, with Ben belting out Frank Sinatra’s New York, New York.

‘I knew about halfway through the date that we would eventually get married,’ Ben said.

They married in 2008 in St. Patrick’s Basilica in Montreal, honeymooning in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.

In 2018, the couple attended Meghan’s wedding to Prince Harry at St George’s Chapel in Windsor.