Katharine McPhee and the cast of SMASH are reuniting tonight to stream 2015’s Bombshell in Concert to benefit the Actors Fund which helps Broadway actors struggling for resources. The whole cast is coming back, including Debra Messing and Leslie Odom, Jr. and Renee Zellweger is introducing the show. While promoting the benefit to Access Hollywood, Kit Hoover asked Katharine about a throwback photo she’d posted in January 2019 of herself and Meghan Markle when they attended the same performing arts school. Katharine said Meghan was in high school, the same class as her sister, while Katharine was in middle school so they weren’t close friends back then. Years later, when Katharine was performing Waitress in the West End, she and husband David Foster connected with the Sussexes at a fundraiser. She claims Prince Harry and David formed a very special relationship, one in which David has become a father figure to Harry.
Breaking it all down! Katharine McPhee gave some insight into her husband David Foster’s friendship with Prince Harry as well as her history with Meghan Markle.
“When I was in London doing Waitress [on the West End], we went to a big charity event. Me and David just put ourselves in a position where we could just at least say hello, and they were really gracious,” the American Idol season 5 runner-up, 36, told Access on Monday, May 18.
“My husband has, like, a really, really beautiful relationship with Harry,” she continued. “They’re so cute. They’re like father and son. We just stay in touch with them.”
She also spoke about Foster, 70, helping the Duke and Duchess of Sussex find a house in Canada to rent in December 2019.
“We just want them to end up wherever they feel safest and happiest,” she told Access. “I had very little to do with that [Canada home]. David’s the one who’s the resource guy. He knows all the places. He loves to help people. We just hope they end up somewhere where they feel like they can really settle down.”
Kit asked Katharine about the relationship, so I don’t think Katharine was exploiting it or anything, but the story is so random. Mainly it sounds like this very special relationship all started about a year ago when she was doing Waitress, so that was… fast. As far as I can make out, neither Katharine nor David attended the Sussex wedding. But maybe Harry and David just got on like a house on fire from the beginning. As far as David releasing the information that he’d helped them with their Canadian retreat last year, I find it kind of funny how many famous people want their names attached to the Sussexes’ residences.
I’m sure David and Harry do have a nice relationship, but I am also sure that folks are working extra hard to get their names in the same sentence as both Harry and Meghan. I do find Katharine’s phrasing interesting, though. Katharine is speaking about Prince Harry and her husband’s relationship as “father and son” when Harry is only six months younger than Katherine herself. Were I Katherine, I would probably try to stay away from any parental analogies when referring to my spouse’s relationship with someone my age.
Here’s the interview. Katharine and David are coming up on their first year anniversary so there are some nice shots of her wedding dress shown in it:
Photo credit: Instagram and WENN/Avalon
Oh good lord. Stay away from this fame whore family, M&H. I can’t staaaaand David’s daughters on instagram. They’re really not funny, but they’re one of those pretty girls who have been told they’re hilarious when they’re just not. They come off as HUGE grifters who have to hang on to other peoples’ names and fame because they’re lacking in the talent department. It’s like… you have access to Oprah and Clooney but you’re going to hang out with a freaking ex American Idol RUNNER UP. Not even one of the winners!
This was a weird story. I am hoping that it’s just a case of Katherine blowing smoke up her own butt to make herself feel more connected to royalty than she actually is. But my god, how classless to go out to the media to claim that your husband has acted like a father figure to a prince who he’s probably only met a few times.
Omg thank you!! I feel the same way about the foster sisters but never said anything because people tend to find them incredibly quirky and charming. And the way you described them is exactly how I feel. Pretty, rich, blonde girls who once made a somewhat witty comment and now believe they’re comedians. Don’t get me wrong there are lots of pretty blonde ladies I find funny, they are just not it. That entire family gives me the creeps especially David after watching real housewives. You’re right.. He has access to loads of low key famous ppl but he’s fame hungry indeed.
Those sisters are so annoying,i always see them interjecting themselves on the commentsbycelebs account. They desperately want to seem effortlessly cool.
I wouldn’t advertise getting on with David Foster. I’ve seen him on two reality shows (Princes of Malibu and Real Housewives) and he always comes off like the biggest jerk. And he’s so full of himself too! Talk about arrogant. On Housewives Yolanda fawned all over him and he still treated her badly. On Princes of Malibu he was AWFUL. I wouldn’t want to be associated with him. If you get on with him what does that say about you? Wankers of a feather flock together.
Yes! Thank you for perfectly summing up the Foster sisters and their hanger-on ways. Their show was also a train wreck and didn’t survive long TV.
The Fosters remind me a lot of Jennifer Meyer and her need to constantly show off her celebrity friends. I understand Jennifer Meyer needs to advertise her (very pretty) jewelry, use models and don’t rely on images of your celebrity “friends” to sell your wares. She could also use her friends as her models. I think that behavior landed Meyer in hot water with Meghan, who asked that the company not use her image as any type of endorsement of the product.
This one is funny bc she is the one claiming the friendship (as opposed to a gossip mag insisting that Adele and the Sussexes are now BFFs or whatever) – but still, it does seem like everyone famous wants to be grouped with the Sussexes, don’t they?
I can actually see this friendship happening quickly; if Katherine and Meghan have a common background (high school) and Meghan knew her sister (were they friends? I cant tell about that point) I can see them getting along from the start, especially as two Americans in London.
Yes he’s just so helpful and will do anything to help any royalty in need.
well its definitely a mutually beneficial relationship (IF they are even half as close as KM implies here, which I doubt), like many of these royal-celeb relationships. KM and Foster get to talk about how close they are to the Sussexes, and in return they get his connections, especially for anything like a fundraising concert. I know people will say “they don’t need his connections” but more connections wont hurt them.
In my mind its probably similar to the Clooneys and Prince Charles. They donated a lot of money, Amal got a fellowship (scholarship?) named after her from the Prince’s Trust, and they put on a show of being all buddy-buddy when there probably isn’t much there.
Yikes! Prince Charles is not going to like this. This does PH no favors, and it’s never a good idea to provoke PC. Look for more leaks from the Palace ASAP.
Yes, Harry already has a dad – you know, that chap in England who is paying all their bills. Perhaps David Foster would like to take over the bill-paying role?
Paying for their much needed and extraordinary security does not equate to “paying their bills.”
She misspoke,Charles is the father of Harry and someone that Meghan and Harry don’t know that well probably shouldn’t interject,but whatever.
Why on earth is she talking about their living arrangements? They should take tips from Serena ‘nice try, though’.
Yes, yet another way this was inappropriate. That father-son comment was just bizarre. Hopefully the Sussexes will keep them at arm’s length.
David Foster has been hugely successful in his own right as a music producer, so props to him for that. His personal life seems fairly messy & replete with…interesting…choices (Yolanda Hadid as an example).
LOL all I can think of is Princes of Malibu when I see him. I know he’s really well known and very talented in his own right… but he very easily turned into a reality show dad.
My take is the mentoring and helpfulness of David toward Harry. The bright side of the LA entertainment industry, networked and giving, dark side we know, Weinstein, Polanski, etc.
Her phrasing is really interesting. It appears Harry and David hit it off, but not so much her and Meghan. Hmm.
I noticed that also.
If she keeps opening her mouth and talking she’ll find herself and her husband quickly “exiled” from the “inner circle” of friends or probably out of the friendship completely
I doubt the Sussexes approve of her saying her husband and Harry have this familial relationship. Especially when they know how badly it can get twisted with the media asking with everything else Sussex
It was completely inappropriate and hopefully they aren’t really close. Re-reading what she said, it was kind of clingy, schmaltzy nonsense with one fact at the end: ‘We just stay in touch with them.’ So I’m hoping that’s the real situation, and she’s just trying to ride their coattails.
Well the Sussexes are going their own way, I’m glad that Katharine is being honest not claiming Meghan was BFF with her sister, unlike that idiot that claimed he went to a girls high school with Meghan and she dumped him, although he is 7 yrs younger than her.
David is a funny guy, his ex-wife was too much, everything had to be perfect for David, maybe if she had ease up on the perfection, who knows.
He didn’t lie,the google info is wrong.Just like theres a site claiming Meghan is Caucasian and a supermodel when she obviously isn’t.
He went to an all girls high school.
Meghan’s mother is an African American, enough said.
Pictures are available of Meghan from birth to now, not one picture of her modeling.
I just googled Meghan’s name, maybe you’re using another Gooogle.
I know this is a day late, but that’s one of the dumbest things. “maybe you’re using another google” so condescending!
They were saying that there are plenty of sites out there get it wrong. They didn’t tell you what they googled specifically so saying “I googled Meghan’s name” is ABSOLUTELY meaningless. Google gives you different results based on your wording AND geo-targeting.
This is interesting to me because Sara and Erin Foster (David’s daughters) have both been a bit pointed about Meghan’s Deal or No Deal roots, sort of implying she’s a hustler
Funny, in America people are admired for pulling themselves up by their bootstraps.
@yoyo white people moving the goal? Not surprised.
Not sure how race factors in this time? These girls sound dumb, plain and simple.
.
That’s a little gross. I know Harry probably has a very strained relationship with Chuck right now but let’s not throw in other father figures. I know if my parents heard someone talk about a parental figure re my sister and I, they would be pissed off and hurt. Maybe she went right to father figure because yeah, her husband is old. But don’t pour gasoline on that fire if you really actually like H&M.
This is only their one year anniversary?! I feel like they got married 5 years ago. I guess this nightmare time warp we’re stuck in makes everything seem so long ago.
And yet, only one year on she has pulled a Katherine Zeta Jones and manages to make herself look older instead of making him look younger. It’s weird.
This is just so icky, H & M should stay away from these people.
Well, Katharine McPhee and her husband are like father and daughter, so there’s that.
Bless their hearts.
Ahaha, good point!
Oh, please.
The thirst is real with the one. And him. And all the offspring.
I don’t know H&M personally (obviously) but I know enough to know they wouldn’t appreciate “friends” speaking in the press about them. Tacky, tacky, tacky.
As an aside, I get that David Foster is a commercially successful musician. However, it’s annoying that he is constantly touted as some great gift to Canada and Canadian music.
She is very LOOK AT ME! LOOK AT ME! Sorry that friendship needs to end.
“Me and David.” 🙄
@MINX
“Me and David” one of my let peeves!
It’s David and I, Katherine Mc Fee
I…don’t believe you.
I don’t really get her. She’s very pretty, has a nice singing voice, and seems to be getting steady acting work, but she seems SOOOOO desperate for more and more fame and connections.
My guess is they’ve probably all met and chatted maybe a few times, and David probably sent messages offering to help with whatever, and that was about it.
Im sure David and Harry are friendly, but a father figure? Please. But it’s a great way to ensure your interview gets headlines; dropping the Harry and Meghan’s names.
I don’t know, my first thought was that this was a (well-deserved) dig at Prince Charles!
If it was it’s rather inappropriate if they actually are close friends and even more inappropriate if they aren’t.
Wasn’t there some big to-do years ago with Katherine and her husband while he was still married? And then she started loading on the pap walks and gossip sites would all get the same tip from “sources close to them”? They’ve always struck me as deperate fame-grabbers. Harry and Meghan love their privacy so I think Katherine just shot herself in the fame hungry foot talking about them, she’ll never get close enough to touch them again.
I think this is all her own doing. David Foster was as successful producer for many years. He’s at the tail end of his career now (see those retrospective concerts he holds). I’m pretty sure he’d just like to stay at home and do his own thing right now. She’s doing the Look at Me trope.
Didn’t these women go to school together? In that respect, I can understand reaching out.
Eh. I think they went to middle school briefly together. So, like 2 years 25 years ago. And it doesn’t look like they kept up after that.
How many times has Harry met creepy old Daddy Foster? In this environment it can’t be a lot. And they have a “father/son” relationship? As you all say, thirsty thirsty thirsty.
Her comment is surely laying it on thick and heavy handed but I don’t find issue with it. Foster and his ilk certainly walk that creep line but he has connections and isn’t that the way of their world? Hopefully they ate dinner once in London and HM were like, yeah the creep checks out for them. Next!
I went to school with a lot of people. Doesn’t mean that we’re lifelong buds now.
That’s so overstepping it’s annoying.
She’s still trying to attach herself to the Sussexs🤦♀️I bet they never even met. Katherine was desperate to market her west end show when she released that old picture with Meghan and sure she has upcoming stuff to be still using them now! It’s so pathetic and its interesting that she only commented on harry and David’s relationship not her and Meghan!! At least she said her sister was the one who knew her unlike that fake reality show guy who lied about Meghan even when he’s years younger than her+Meghan going to an all girls school!!
Ride or die? She cheated with a married director she worked with, I just find her incredibly shady and selfish.
No one is going to point out that both Katharine and Meghan obviously got nosejobs? *ducks and runs*
Not any more since she’s blabbing to the press for attention.
Why would H & M go to David Foster about finding a place to live in Canada? Her actual BFF and former stylist is Jessica Mulroney…who LIVES in Canada. Jessica’s husband, Ben, is the son of a former Canadian Prime Minister, so I am certain that Ben & Jessica would be more than capable of assisting their friends in finding a suitable home with ample security.
I call BS and major thirst!
Maybe the Prince once overheard Yolanda calling her ex “her King” and got confused. He’s not too bright.