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Meghan Markle and Serena Williams have a beautiful friendship that has stood the test of time for a decade.

Over the years, the friendship between lawn tennis champion, Serena Williams, and the British royalty, Meghan Markle, has remained a headline-worthy topic. Through thick and thin, both women have stood by each other as pillars of support, further strengthening their relationship.

Aside from their shared life of stardom, the pair has a lot in common, which has facilitated the progress of their friendship from their first meeting to becoming royalties in their own rights.

HOW THEY MET

Meghan Markle and Serena Williams’ relationship began long before the “Suits” star secured a spot in the show. The duo met for the first time during the 2010 Super Bowl. They ran into each other while attending a party in honor of the Super Bowl.

The pair got into a conversation and discovered they had so many shared interests. They hit it off immediately. Although they parted ways after the event, Markle and Williams kept in touch in the years that followed, marking the start of a blissful friendship.

However, their meeting four years later at a flag football match in DirectTV’s Celebrity Beach Bowl was the event that sealed their relationship. Both women played on the same team during the 2014 game, and have since remained teammates through life’s struggles.

Ten years later, they are still standing tall.

WHAT LED TO THEIR INSTANT CONNECTION?

Hitting it off instantly was one thing, but making conscious efforts to remain committed through the years was a whole different ball game. For the Duchess of Sussex and her decade-long BFF, it took more than shared interests to keep their friendship flourishing.

Neither Markle nor Williams shies away from discussing their enviable friendship, and their upstanding connection despite being in the limelight and enduring their own shares of media scrutiny. The Duchess once revealed in a post from her now-deleted blog, that their bond resulted from their “belief in exceeding expectation,” as well as their endless ambition.

In an earlier interview, Meghan disclosed that she admired the tennis superstar for her ability to balance strength and sensitivity. Being epic at Karaoke came as a bonus.

SUPPORTING EACH OTHER THROUGH THE YEARS

While both nurtured their friendship in the limelight, they encountered many ups and downs, most of which the media imposed. Before long, dealing with public criticisms became a bonding ground for the pair.

As they grew closer, Markle and the athlete became each other’s confidante and support system. Reflecting on their friendship, Meghan once divulged:

“She quickly became a confidante I would text when I was traveling. The friend I would rally around for her tennis matches, and the down-to-earth chick I was able to grab lunch with.”

Their friendship developed over time into something special. Williams offered the most amazing advice about dealing with the spotlights to the Duchess. Markle, on her part, proved to be the best girlfriend, showing up to support the tennis champ at every game.

Remarkably, when Meghan hit a difficult spot in 2016, with her introduction to the world as Prince Harry’s love interest, Serena Williams was on hand to help her overcome the resulting media outrage. 

Markle and Prince Harry eventually tied the knot, giving the “Suits” actress her royalty status. Williams graced the royal wedding in Windsor, alongside her husband, Alexis Ohanian, in 2017. By availing herself, she once again, proved her love and support for the 39-year-old.

SERENA WILLIAMS’ REACTION TO MEGXIT

Meghan Markle spent almost two years in the royal household, adjusting to her new life as the wife of Prince Harry, Duchess of Sussex, and ultimately, mother of a royal baby. In early 2020, the Duchess and her husband caused a global stir by announcing their decision to step down from royal duties.

The couple eventually left behind their lives in the United Kingdom and moved to the Duchess’s hometown in Canada. The decision, which the Sussex royals believed would help their son, Prince Archie, lead a normal life earned Markle widespread criticism.

During an appearance on Naomi Campbell’s YouTube show, “No Filter With Naomi,” Campbell asked Serena William if she was happy about the Sussexes’ move to America. Rather than be a sell-out, Williams chose to defend her friend, feigning ignorance. She denied knowing anything about Meghan’s affairs.

When Campbell pressed on, Williams added, jokingly, that she’d never seen or heard of Meghan Markle, much less, knew her. At that, she whistled away briskly, leaving her interviewer stunned.

LIVING IN THE UNITED STATES

After living in Vancouver Island, Canada for months, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle made an unexpected move to California.

In May 2020, various sources reported that the royal couple moved into Hollywood icon, Tyler Perry’s Beverly Hills home. Their new home boasts of eight bedrooms and twelve bathrooms in addition to other indulging luxuries.

Serena Williams, now a mother to 2-year-old Olympia, whom she shares with husband of four years, Alexis Ohanian resides in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, alongside her beautiful family.

With Meghan Markle’s move to Los Angeles, she’s become closer than ever to her friend and confidante, Serena Williams.