Inside Harry And Meghan's Unexpected Connection To Taylor Swift

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle spent this past weekend in New York City attending various public engagements. It was the first joint appearance for the pair since the birth of their daughter, Lilibet Diana, in June of this year. Their tour of the Big Apple was significant as it was also the first time that Harry and Meghan appeared as independent royals, conducting their own business separate from the rest of the family's affairs. The trip was deemed a success by the Sussexes and newspapers alike, as the dynamic duo made a positive impact on each community they visited.

As royal expert Omid Scobie reported for Harper's Bazaar, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex promoted children's literacy at an elementary school in Harlem, and they also provided the school with an abundance of materials, including gardening equipment and pantry items, to help the community access healthy food more easily. Harry and Meghan didn't stop there, however, and went on to donate $25,000 to restaurant owner Melba Wilson to assist with his COVID-19 Employee Relief fund.

The pair participated in the Global Citizen Live event to promote access to the COVID-19 vaccine, and they met with government officials to pay their respects at the 9/11 memorial as well (via Elle). Harry and Meghan packed in quite a few engagements during their short trip, and they even managed to establish an unexpected connection to famous pop star Taylor Swift in the midst of it all. How exactly did this happen, you may ask? Here's the scoop. 

According to the Daily Mail, Taylor Swift gave up her personal bodyguards for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle during their weekend trip to New York City. Though it's unclear as to whether Swift loaned the bodyguards personally or the Sussexes merely used the same security company, there were two familiar faces accompanying the independent royals throughout their tour.

Swifties will recognize the tall, white-haired man named Jimmy in photos of the Sussexes, as he typically accompanies Swift to all major events — and he even has his own apartment directly across the hall from Swift's penthouse suite. Jimmy, along with another unnamed bodyguard, is frequently employed by Swift when she makes public appearances. Both men were photographed with Meghan and Harry for the entire duration of their trip, providing an unexpected connection between the pair and the "folklore" singer. 

The two guards were often seen outside of the Carlyle Hotel where Harry and Meghan were staying, and they worked in conjunction with the NYC police department and the Department of Homeland Security to ensure the safety of the royal pair. I guess you could say that the bodyguards were "Ready For It!"