In 2013, long before Meghan Markle met Prince Harry, she told Larry King that her first kiss was from a boy named Joshua Silverstein, The Daily Mail reports. 'I was 13, it was a summer camp and I kissed him!' she shared.
Now, Silverstein, who stars in James Corden's Drop the Mic, is speaking out for the first time about his teenaged summer romance with the future Duchess of Sussex.
'Meghan and I are the same age so, I know I was about 13 or 14,' Silverstein told The Daily Mail. 'I obviously don't remember "the kiss"- but I do know that I was the first guy she kissed. She was a nice, kind, sweet girl.'
Silverstein shared that a local Agape Spiritual Church in California, where he and Markle grew up, organized a theater summer camp in 1993, and that's where their fling began.
'We were together every day, we spoke on the phone a lot, we held hands and shared kisses,' the 36-year-old revealed. 'Her and I in some ways just felt a sense of attraction to each other. I'd had girlfriends prior to this, so I knew what I was doing - I proposed to my girlfriend in kindergarten!'
Silverstein added that he and Markle connected on the fact that they were both from diverse backgrounds. 'We are both multi-ethnic people of color - with white fathers and black mothers and we've related on that,' he said. 'Race is important to both of us and she wanted to help change that in the future.'
Silverstein and Markle also both shared a love for the arts, and co-starred in a performance called the Agape 38 Flavors at the theatre camp, the Daily Mail reports.
'I remember her character was very awkward, a dorky character, her hair was up, people thought we were funny and talented,' Silverstein said. 'We all got up and did a solo, then had one big dance number.'
Silverstein, like Markle, continued his career in entertainment into adulthood. He beatboxes on The Late Late Show With James Corden and Drop the Mic.
He is also married to his photographer wife Cynthia Guillen, and they have two children together, ages 5 and 10.
In The Daily Mail interview, Silverstein sent his well-wishes to Markle as she prepares to start a family of her own.
'To be a person to grow up in LA, no ties with the royal family, or anything across the pond, to marry into it, that's exciting. I'm happy for her,' he said. 'She's very smart, got a good head on her shoulders, can handle herself, so she's going to have a fun ride. I'm very happy to hear that it seems like all her dreams are coming true. It's nice to know that someone from my past is doing so well.'
Silverstein and Markle's relationship did not last much longer after their summer romance, but Silverstein said he would see Markle's mum at Sunday services until about four years ago, when he stopped attending Agape Spiritual Church.
'I always felt comfortable with her mum, we'd always stop and chat. I saw Meghan in the TV show and thought good for her. I'd always ask her to send my love,' he said.
