Howie Mandel and Meghan Markle have a surprising connection that goes way back. 

Watch America’s Got Talent Tuesdays at 8/7c on NBC and next day on Peacock.

This Christmas, Mandel shared a throwback snapshot of himself and Markle from when he was Host of Deal or No Deal and she was a briefcase model — long before she became the Duchess of Sussex. The pic is back from  Season 2 of the show, which aired between 2006 and 2007.

In the picture Mandel posted, Mandel makes a goofy face while wearing a Santa hat while Markle looks stunning, standing next to him and giving a radiant smile. (It was from a holiday-themed Deal or No Deal episode.)

See the picture here!

Howie Mandel appears in a promotional photo for America’s Got Talent; Meghan Markle chats with people inside the Drawing Room during a visit to Cardiff Castle Photo: Getty Images

About Deal or No Deal

Hosted by Howie Mandel, the original Deal or No Deal aired from 2005 to 2009 on NBC. Its syndicated version, also hosted by Mandel, ran for two seasons. In 2018, the show was revived for a fifth season.

Each game of Deal or No Deal features one Contestant and 26 models, each holding a briefcase with a dollar amount ranging from $0.01 to $1,000,000. It starts with a Contestant picking one briefcase to hold onto until the end of the game. Then, the Contestant has to eliminate the other briefcases by randomly selecting them one at a time — with the hope of knocking out the smaller dollar amounts and keeping the larger ones in play. Naturally, the goal is to walk away with the most amount of money possible — either from the briefcase picked at the beginning of the game or from selling their briefcase to the Banker, who makes offers based on which dollar amounts remain in play.

How long was Meghan Markle on Deal or No Deal?

Markle held briefcase No. 24 in Season 2 from 2006-2007. She then went on to star on USA’s Suits as Rachel Zane from 2011 to 2018. In 2018, she married Prince Harry and became Duchess of Sussex.

Deal or No Deal is streaming on Peacock.

What to know about Deal or No Deal Island

A sister show of Deal or No Deal, titled Deal or No Deal Island, is coming to NBC in February 2024. It follows a similar format to the original, but this time, Contestants will compete against each other in a series of intense challenges on a mysterious tropical location. Joe Manganiello is set to Host.

Deal or No Deal Island premieres with a 90-minute special at 9:30/8:30c on Monday, February 26, 2024. Starting Monday, March 4, subsequent episodes will air Mondays at 10/9c.