LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, paid the first royal tribute to Matthew Perry after the actor's sudden death on October 28 at the age of 54.
In a heartfelt post on X, Ferguson shared a photo of herself, Perry, and his 'Friends' co-stars, writing, "I remember 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."
The duchess had made a cameo appearance during the fourth season of 'Friends,' when the iconic show was filmed in London.
According to the Daily Mail, when Ferguson was nervous about her scene, Perry offered to stand nearby and support her while she filmed.
Perry, who played Chandler Bing in the sitcom, was discovered dead at his residence, and an investigation into the cause of his death is currently underway.
Sarah Ferguson's cameo on 'Friends'
Ferguson appeared in the episode titled 'The One with Ross's Wedding,' which had the group travel from New York to London to attend Ross Geller's (David Schwimmer) wedding to Emily.
Before the ill-fated wedding, during which Ross accidentally says Rachel Greene's (Jennifer Aniston) name, takes place, Joey Tribbiani (Matt Le Blanc) takes a tour around the city.
It is then that Joey, who was sporting a giant Union Jack hat, runs into the duchess, and records a message for Chandler.
Ferguson says in the recording, "Hi Chandler, Joey says you don't really like his hat, but I think it's kind of dashing."
It has since been revealed that Ferguson was coaxed into the cameo by her daughters, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, and which became an absolute hit.
Statement from the showrunners of 'Friends'
Friends co-creators Marta Kauffman and David Crane, along with executive producer Kevin Bright, have expressed their shock at the untimely death of the beloved actor in a joint statement.
"We are shocked and deeply, deeply saddened by our beloved friend Matthew's passing," read the statement.
"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," it continued, "He was always the funniest person in the room. More than that, he was the sweetest, with a giving and selfless heart."
"This truly is The One Where Our Hearts Are Broken," they concluded.
