The Duchess of York has paid tribute to the ‘brilliant’ Matthew Perry after his sudden death at age 54, applauding him for bringing ‘joy and laughter to so many’.
Sarah Ferguson, in a heartfelt post on X, formerly Twitter, shared a photo of herself, Mr Perry and his Friends co-stars, saying she remembers ‘being thrilled to have met a natural talent, comedian and brilliant actor’.
‘It is a tragedy to lose you so early in life, rest in peace dear Matthew … you have given so much joy and laughter to so many,’ she wrote today, becoming the first royal to honour the star.
The Duchess made a cameo during series four of Friends, while the programme filmed in London. It was previously revealed that Sarah was ‘nervous’ about her scene and Mr Perry offered to stand nearby and support her while she filmed.
Mr Perry, known for playing Chandler Bing on the hit American sitcom, was found dead at his Los Angeles home on Saturday. An investigation into his cause of death remains ongoing.
Sarah appeared in the bombshell episode, The One with Ross’s Wedding, which saw the New York City based gang travel to London for Ross Geller’s (David Schwimmer) wedding to Emily (Helen Baxendale). But during his vows, Ross accidentally says Rachel Green’s (Jennifer Aniston) name.
Ahead of the wedding, Joey Tribbiani (Matt Le Blanc) takes a tour around the capital, during which he meets the Duchess of York.
Joey, sporting a giant Union Jack hat, takes out a video camera to record their encounter and Sarah records a message for Chandler (Mr Perry).
She says: ‘Hi Chandler, Joey says you don’t really like his hat, but I think it’s kind of dashing.’
While the cameo was an absolute hit, it has since been revealed that Sarah was actually ‘coaxed into the appearance by her daughters’ Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie.
The princesses were reportedly big fans of the show at the time, Kelsey Miller revealed in her book I’ll Be There for You: The One About Friends.
The Duchess was also reportedly nervous about the appearance and practiced running lines with Mr LeBlanc ahead of filming, according to Comedy Central.
Mr Perry, despite not actually appearing in the scene, stood nearby during filming so he could ‘offer support’ to the royal and his colleague.
Tributes have poured in for Mr Perry after his ‘heartbroken’ family confirmed the ‘tragic loss’ of their son on Saturday.
In a statement to People, Mr Perry’s family said of the actors death: ‘We are heartbroken by the tragic loss of our beloved son and brother.
‘Matthew brought so much joy to the world, both as an actor and a friend.’
They added: ‘You all meant so much to him and we appreciate the tremendous outpouring of love.’
His body was found in a hot tub at his home, according to unnamed sources cited by the Los Angeles Times and TMZ, which was the first to report the news.
In a joint statement Friends co-creators Marta Kauffman and David Crane, along with executive producer Kevin Bright, described their shock.
‘We are shocked and deeply, deeply saddened by our beloved friend Matthew’s passing,’ they said.
‘We will always cherish the joy, the light, the blinding intelligence he brought to every moment – not just to his work, but in life as well.
‘He was always the funniest person in the room. More than that, he was the sweetest, with a giving and selfless heart.’
They added: ‘This truly is The One Where Our Hearts Are Broken.’
Celebrities have been paying their respects to the actor with American actress Gwyneth Paltrow remembering Perry as the young man she had met in the summer of 1993.
The Sliding Doors star, 51, posted to her Instagram page and said: ‘I met Matthew Perry in 1993 at the Williamstown Theatre Festival in Massachusetts.
‘We were both there for most of the summer doing plays. He was so funny and so sweet and so much fun to be with.
‘We drove out to swim in creeks, had beers in the local college bar, kissed in a field of long grass.
‘It was a magical summer. He had shot the pilot of Friends but it had not aired yet.
‘He was nervous, hoping his big break was just around the corner. It was.
‘We stayed friends for a while until we drifted apart, but I was always happy to see him when I did.
‘I am super sad today, as so many of us are. I hope Matthew is at peace at long last. I really do.’
Friends co-stars have also come forward to share their memories and offer their condolences.
Maggie Wheeler, who played Chandler’s on-and-off girlfriend, Janice Hosenstein, said that she felt ‘blessed’ to have spent creative moments with Mr Perry.
Posting to her Instagram account, the actress said: ‘What a loss. The world will miss you Matthew Perry. The joy you brought to so many in your too short lifetime will live on.’
Actress Morgan Fairchild, who played Perry’s mother on the show, said the loss of a ‘brilliant young actor’ was a shock.
‘I’m heartbroken about the untimely death of my “son,”‘ she wrote on X.
Mr Perry, who was nominated for an Emmy for his role in Friends, starred alongside Ms Aniston, Mr LeBlanc, Mr Schwimmer, Lisa Kudrow and Courteney Cox – who played his on-screen wife, Monica.
His 10 seasons on Friends made him one of Hollywood’s most recognisable actors. The series was also one of television’s biggest hits and has taken on a new life – and found popularity with younger fans – in recent years on streaming services.
The Friends cast reunited on screen for the first time in 2021 after the show ended its celebrated 10-year run in 2004, having become a pop culture phenomenon.
Mr Perry described reading the Friends script for the first time in his memoir, Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing.
‘It was as if someone had followed me around for a year, stealing my jokes, copying my mannerisms, photocopying my world-weary yet witty view of life. One character in particular stood out to me: it wasn’t that I thought I could “play” Chandler. I “was” Chandler.’
The actor was also open about his long and public struggle with addiction, writing at the beginning of the memoir: ‘Hi, my name is Matthew, although you may know me by another name. My friends call me Matty. And I should be dead.’
On Sunday, Perry’s book was ranked No. 1 on Amazon, supplanting Britney Spears’ memoir.
James Parker is a UK-based entertainment aficionado who delves into the glitz and glamour of the entertainment industry. From Hollywood to the West End, he offers readers an insider’s perspective on the world of movies, music, and pop culture.
