Inside Serena Williams' and Meghan Markle's 7-year friendship

Gabbi ShawFeb 26, 2021, 00:56 IST

Serena Williams and Meghan Markle in 2014.Michael Loccisano/Getty Images for DirecTV)

Serena Williams and Meghan Markle have been friends since 2014, though they met in 2010.
Markle frequently supports Williams at tennis matches, while Williams threw Markle's baby shower.
"She couldn't be a better friend to me," Williams has said of Markle.

They may be the greatest tennis player of all time and the first American to marry into the royal family in decades (and the first to leave in decades), but Serena Williams and Meghan Markle have remained loyal friends since their first real hang out in 2014.

Since then, the two have became close confidantes, with Markle regularly attending Williams' tennis matches, and Williams defending her friend from the mountain of negative attention she's received since 2017.

Keep scrolling to learn more about their sweet, yet private, friendship.

February 2010: Williams and Markle meet at the Super Bowl in Miami.

Markle and Williams in 2010. Charley Gallay/Getty Images For Benefit Cosmetics; BILLY FARRELL/Patrick McMullan/Getty Images

February 2014: They become friends while playing in the DirecTV Beach Bowl.

Markle and Williams participate in the DirecTV Beach Bowl on February 1, 2014. Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for DirecTV

September 2014: Markle congratulates Williams on Twitter for winning the US Open, and their friendship grows.

Markle and Wiliams hugging at the 2014 US Open. Twitter/@meghanmarkle

January 2015: Markle once again congratulates Williams on winning, this time the Australian Open.

Williams holds the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup after winning the women's final match of the 2015 Australian Open on January 31, 2015. Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

September 2016: Markle posts a funny photo of the two at Fashion Week and congratulates Williams for her line.

Williams and Markle. Instagram/@meghanmarkle

August 2017: Markle tells Vogue that Williams will "be an amazing mom" ahead of the birth of Williams' daughter, Olympia.

Serena Williams and Alexis Ohanian in May 2017. Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images For Entertainment Weekly

September 2017: Williams shares the advice she gave Markle when she began dating Prince Harry.

Markle and Prince Harry attend day three of the Invictus Games Toronto on September 25, 2017. Karwai Tang/WireImage/Getty Images

May 2018: Williams and her husband, Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, attend the royal wedding.

Serena Williams and Alexis Ohanian arrive for the wedding ceremony on May 19, 2018. Ian West - WPA Pool/Getty Images

July 2018: In their first solo public outing, Markle and her new sister-in-law, Kate Middleton, attend Wimbledon to support Williams.

Middleton and Markle attend day 12 of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships on July 14, 2018. Karwai Tang/WireImage/Getty Images

September 2018: They lean on each other as they each deal with public issues.

Markle in 2018. Ben Birchall - WPA Pool / Getty Images

September 2018: Williams tweets her support for Markle's cookbook, "Together."

Markle helps to prepare food at an event to mark the launch of a cookbook with recipes from a group of women affected by the Grenfell Tower fire. Ben Stansall - WPA Pool/Getty Images

October 2018: Markle shows support for Williams by wearing a blazer designed by her friend.

Prince Harry and Markle on October 17, 2018 in Dubbo, Australia. Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

February 2019: Williams reportedly co-hosts Markle's NYC baby shower with Amal Clooney.

Serena Williams seen leaving The Polo Bar on February 19, 2019, in New York City. James Devaney/GC Images

July 2019: Williams continues to support her friend, who was a new mom at the time, amongst more negative press.

Markle attends day four of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships on July 4, 2019. Karwai Tang/Getty Images

September 2019: Markle attends the US Open a few months after giving birth to Archie.

Alexis Ohanian embraces Markle at the 2019 US Open on September 7, 2019. Clive Brunskill/Getty Images

April 2020: In order to protect her friend's privacy, Williams jokes about not knowing Markle.

Serena Williams. Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for The Met Museum/Vogue

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