Tyler Perry provided Meghan Markle and Harry security when royal family did not: How much was the crew paid?
Stripped of security from the royal family, Meghan Markle and Harry had to turn to Hollywood for protection. The couple revealed in their tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey that Tyler Perry played a crucial role in their move from Vancouver to California. He provided them with a place to stay as well as security.
Security was essential for the family, who felt that they were under threat after aggressive paparazzi attempted to get photographs of them.
The couple moved to the US in March, first staying at Perry's $18 million mansion before moving to their own estate. Now, they revealed that Perry was also responsible for their security at the time. He reportedly lent his Embraer Lineage 1000E jet to the couple when they moved from Vancouver.
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How much does Tyler Perry Studios pay?
While the couple didn't go into details, it is possible Perry provided protection for the family through Tyler Perry Studios. The exact salary of the crew is not know but the Atlanta-based production house does have security roles as listed on Glassdoor. According to the Glassdoor page, the company pays between $52,000 and $57,000 for security jobs. That is much higher than the average salary for the same role in Atlanta, which is estimated to be around $37,000, according to Glassdoor.
According to Meghan, Perry's generosity gave them a moment “to breathe” as they figured out their next steps. The full security detail provided by Perry was critical since Harry was worried about his family's safety after the Daily Mail had published their address in Canada. It was rumored at the time that Prince Charles was paying for their security, after royal protections ended on March 14. Now we know that it was indeed Perry, who is a close friend of the couple.
Meghan and Harry's security woes
Security is a major concern for the couple, who have received threats in the past. Concerns have only mounted since they moved to their own estate in Los Angeles, where they have so far reported five incidents to the police.
Paparazzi has reportedly flown drones within 20 feet of their home, in an attempt to snap pictures of the family. The couple has also hired an A-list security firm to protect them at around $8,700 a day. The firm, known for protecting celebrities such as Tom Hanks and Madonna, is being paid by the couple right now, according to The Daily Mail.
The Mail reported that the security team was handpicked by Gavin de Becker, who served as the security chief for former president Ronald Regan. It is not clear how the couple are paying for security, given that they are no longer receiving income from the royal family. One source could be their massive deals with Spotify and Netflix. The couple reportedly have a $40 million deal with Spotify, with the show not off to a great start.