One is a prince and the other Hollywood royalty, but it seems the Queen’s grandson Prince Harry and actor Orlando Bloom have a lot more in common than just a title.
The Duke of Sussex, 36, told Dax Shepard’s ‘Armchair Expert’ show that he has struck up a bond with his new neighbours Orlando Bloom, 44, and singer Katy Perry, 36, who live ‘just down the road’ from the couple’s £11million mansion in Montecito, California.
Speaking in a 90-minute interview on the podcast, Prince Harry described how the Lord of the Rings star tipped him off about a photographer and that the pair ‘keep in touch’ over text.
But the pair’s close proximity and the fact they are now both Brits abroad is far from the only parallel between the duo, who have both seemingly been moving in the same circle for years – having common connections with US designer Misha Nonoo, popstar Ellie Goulding and also a reported interest in spirituality.
Indeed the pair have even attended the same events, including Nonoo’s 2019 Rome wedding, and could soon find themselves taking their daughters on playdates.
Orlando shares daughter nine-month-old Daisy with Katy Perry and Harry and Meghan are expecting a daughter this summer.
Prince Harry and wife Meghan Markle arrive at the Villa Aurelia in Rome to attend the wedding of Misha Nonoo and Michael Henn on 20 September 2019
Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom arrive at fashion designer Misha Nonoo’s wedding in Rome, Italy on 20 September 2019
The Duchess of Sussex (right) hugs designer Misha Nonoo at the launch the Smart Works capsule collection at John Lewis in Oxford Street, London. Misha is marrying oil tycoon Mikey Hess in the Eternal City
Speaking exclusively to FEMAIL about Prince Harry’s blossoming friendship with Orlando Bloom, royal expert Dickie Arbiter claims the Duke of Sussex may have ‘befriended’ the Hollywood actor.
‘The question is, why are celebrities friends of the royal family?’ he asked. ‘Quite simply, they like dining out on the fact they are a friend of the royal family. It’s like, “Hey ho, I went to Harry’s wedding. I don’t know him, but I went to Harry’s wedding.” Harry’s befriended Orlando Bloom. Orlando Bloom thinks, “Ooh very nice – a friend of the royal family.” It works both ways.’
While the couples are both used to living a lifestyle of glitz and glamour, they have more in common than meets the eye – including their friendship with American-based fashion designer Misha Nonoo.
In September 2019, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex arrived in Rome, Italy to attend the nuptials of Misha, who is rumoured to have set-up the royals’ first blind date in July 2016.
Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom were among the other A-list stars who watched Misha tie the knot with oil tycoon fiance Mikey Hess during a sunset ceremony at the stunning 17th century Villa Aurelia with views over the city.
According to Dickie, ‘it’s possible’ the couples first sparked a friendship at the designer’s wedding.
Prince Harry’s cousins Princess Beatrice and her sister Eugenie were also believed to have attended the nuptials, suggesting Lord of the Rings star Orlando has long been rubbing shoulders with royalty – including some of the duke’s nearest and dearest.
And Misha isn’t the only person the couples share a joint friendship with – because Prince Harry and Orlando Bloom’s fiancée Katy also have a common connection when it comes to hit singer, Ellie Goulding.
The Duke of Sussex was linked to Ellie back in 2016, but the blushing popstar skirted any issue of romance in October that year when she was asked outright about the rumours on TV, by The Project host Carrie Bickmore.
Prince Harry with Ellie Goulding backstage at the Invictus Games Closing Ceremony during the Invictus Games at Queen Elizabeth park on September 14, 2014 in London
Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom arriving at York Minster for the wedding of singer Ellie Goulding to Caspar Jopling on Saturday August 31, 2019
‘Please don’t let me go red. I’m bright red,’ she said. ‘Why did I have a feeling that was going to come up? You naughty people.’
Ellie was believed to have been quite ‘taken’ by Prince Harry when she invited him to perform at the closing ceremony for the inaugural Invictus Games in 2014.
Two years later, onlookers at the Audi Polo Challenge 2016 claimed that they had even been ‘kissing’ under a blanket during a post-polo event.
The Love Me Like You Do hitmaker also sang at the reception of the prince’s brother, Prince William to Duchess Catherine in 2010.
Meanwhile, last year, Ellie revealed that the only female artist she is close with is her good pal Katy Perry, as she usually feels like the ‘odd one out’.
The Love Me Like You Do hitmaker explained that she struggles to bond with other singers of the same sex and has ‘never felt like she fits in’.
In a candid interview with The Sunday Mirror, Ellie spoke about her friendships and praised American star Katy for giving her great advice.
Ellie told the publication: ‘I’ve never felt like I fit in with any female artists, which is really strange because I love women so much.
‘I follow female artists on social media and I try to be involved but I always feel like the odd one out. I don’t know why.
‘If I really need to talk to a female artist who has been through everything, I’m lucky enough to be able to ask Katy [Perry] for advice. And she is incredible at advice.’
Katy’s close friendship with Ellie was further confirmed when the singer arrived in a stunning ensemble alongside Orlando Bloom for Ellie and Caspar Jopling’s wedding at York Minster Cathedral on 31 August 2019.
Katy and Orlando welcomed little Daisy together in August 2020, 18 months after announcing that they were engaged
Prince Harry, 36, and Meghan Markle, 39 posed in the grounds of their $14 million Californian mansion in front of a ‘tree of life’
The Fireworks singer turned heads in a duck egg blue dress coat over a watercolour print silk number, while her actor beau looked dapper in his morning suit.
Walking into the church hand-in-hand with her other half, she donned a pair of buckle-detailed mules with a fuchsia pink mini leather handbag.
The Dark Horse hitmaker and Orlando were joined by several A-list guests – again, including Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie.
Prince Harry and Orlando Bloom are also fathers to young children – with the duke soon expecting to welcome a daughter into the world with wife, Meghan.
On 27 August, Katy Perry the birth of her first child, daughter Daisy Dove, with Orlando.
‘We are floating with love and wonder from the safe and healthy arrival of our daughter,’ said the couple in a statement to UNICEF.
The couple shared a sweet black and white photo of them holding onto their newborn’s tiny hand.
In homage to her baby girl, the Teenage Dream hitmaker had a white daisy visible on her thumb nail as she held Daisy’s hand.
Little Daisy could be seen wearing a white babygro and a patterned hat in the first image.
Earlier this year, Prince Harry and Meghan also chose to release a black and white image to announce that Meghan is pregnant with their second child.
One of the images showed the couple sat under a tree in Los Angeles, with Harry resting his hand on Meghan’s head as she lay in his lap cradling her bump.
Orlando Bloom has attended several of the same events as Princess Eugenie And Princess Beatrice and is likely to have crossed paths with Prince Harry’s cousins. Pictured, Trooping of the Colour on 8 June 2019
Meanwhile another image shared on International Women’s Day showed Prince Harry cradling Meghan while she held their son Archie in her arms.
It was released by photographer Misan Harriman within hours of their bombshell Oprah interview, where they announced they were expecting a girl.
Their baby girl is due in the ‘summertime’ and as such, will provide the perfect playmate to Katy and Orlando’s daughter, Daisy.
But while the couples clearly share common interests, royal expert Dickie Aribiter isn’t convince Orlando fully ‘understands’ Prince Harry – adding that he doesn’t believe the royal ‘understands himself.’
‘Maybe Orlando is just the closest person that lives next to him,’ he said. ‘I find the whole thing a bit hypocritical given that [Prince Harry] left the UK because he wanted privacy and he’s done nothing but open himself up since he lived here.
‘I don’t think anybody is in a position to understand Harry. I don’t think he understand himself.’
However, with the royal and Hollywood actor living just next door, it’s unlikely the new neighbours will ever be short of conversation, with both reportedly sharing a common interest in spirituality.
In bombshell autobiography Finding Freedom, by authors Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand, an insider claimed that Meghan Markle’s faith plays a central role in her life while prayer and conversations with God have got her through the ‘darkest moments.’
The insider alleged the Duchess of Sussex’s ‘spirituality’ saw her gather her Suits castmates for a ‘prayer circle’ before they began filming.
According to the source, who is reportedly a close friend and has often prayed with Meghan, both she and Prince Harry, have been on a ‘journey of faith together’ during their relationship.
Discussing the perceived betrayal of her old school friend Ninaki Priddy, who claimed she wasn’t shocked at all by the news of Meghan’s engagement because ‘she was always fascinated by the Royal Family’, the friend of the duchess told the authors: ‘Part of what helped Meghan get through this difficult time was her faith.
The biography by authors Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand claims the Duchess of Sussex’s ‘spirituality’ saw her gather her Suits castmates for a ‘prayer circle’ before they began filming. Pictured with co-star Patrick J Adams
‘Her relationship with God and with her church is extremely important to her. That’s something most people do not know about her.
‘It plays a central role in her life, as an individual, as a woman.’
They added: ‘When I talk about her faith being a big part of her life, it’s her faith in God. It’s her faith in her family. Her faith in the people closest to her.’
A further source claimed: ‘It’s prayer and conversations with God that have gotten her through the darkest moments.
‘That’s something that plays a significant role in her life and her relationship with Harry. The two have been on a journey of faith together.’
Meanwhile, last year, Katy Perry spoke candidly to Vogue India about the ‘spiritual journey’ she has gone on with her fiancé, Orlando, explaining that they bring out the best in each other by pulling out the ‘poison’.
‘Orlando is like a sage,’ she claimed. ‘When we first met, he said we would pull the poison out of each other, and we really do. It’s exhausting, but we really hold each other accountable.
‘I’ve never had a partner who was willing to go on an emotional and spiritual journey like Orlando. It’s challenging, because you’re facing all the things you don’t like about yourself. It’s like a never-ending cleanse.’
Both Katy and Orlando are heavily involved with campaigning for environmental awareness – yet another common interest the duo share with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.