Serena Williams Displays Birthday Gift From Meghan Markle After Fans Continue to Question Friendship

Tennis pro Serena Williams and Meghan Markle share a friendship that blends mutual respect and shared experiences as women in the public eye. Their bond became widely known during Meghan’s time on Suits, when Williams attended some of her high-profile events, and it deepened after Meghan married into the British royal family. Both women have navigated intense media scrutiny, and their friendship has often been highlighted as a source of support and solidarity. In 2025, Meghan sent her friend a birthday gift. And Williams displayed the gift following continued scrutiny over their friendship.

Meghan Markle sent Serena Williams a sweet birthday gift in 2025

On Sept. 26, 2025, Serena Williams received a thoughtful surprise for her 44th birthday from her longtime friend, Meghan Markle. The Duchess of Sussex sent Williams a beautifully packaged gift from her lifestyle brand, As Ever, which included three bottles of the highly anticipated 2024 Napa Valley Rosé. Williams shared her excitement with fans by posting unboxing videos on Instagram Stories, according to DailyMail.com.

“Alright, Miss Meghan, I finally made it back to this beautiful unveiling,” Williams playfully said as she opened the box. She then used a screwdriver to get into the box, which she struggled with. Then, as the box revealed four bottles of Meghan’s As Ever wine, which cost $30 per bottle, she playfully said, “Somebody knows how to treat a woman.”

In a heartwarming gesture, Meghan reposted Williams’ videos on her own Instagram account, accompanied by three pink heart emojis, reinforcing the deep bond between the two women.

This isn’t the first time that Williams has received As Ever products from the Duchess of Sussex. In April, she reportedly received a box full of goods, including Meghan’s signature Montecito “jam” and herbal teas.

Fans have questioned the authenticity of the friendship in the recent past

Serena Williams and Meghan Markle’s friendship began in 2010 when they first met at a Super Bowl party, according to People. However, it wasn’t until 2014 that their bond truly deepened. That year, they reconnected at another Super Bowl in New York and participated together in DirecTV’s Celebrity Beach Bowl. Meghan later recalled, “We hit it off immediately,” noting their shared laughter and connection during the event.

Over the years, their friendship has flourished, with both women supporting each other’s endeavors. Meghan attended Williams’ tennis matches, while Williams was present at Meghan’s royal wedding to Prince Harry in 2018. Their mutual support extended to professional collaborations. In 2022, Williams was the first guest on Meghan’s podcast, Archetypes.

In 2024, several Reddit users suggested that Williams and Meghan’s relationship was actually more transactional than authentic. Some users suggested that Williams subtly threw shade at Meghan after stating that her daughter wasn’t into “princesses” and was into Taylor Swift instead. Rumors emerged through the years that Swift and Meghan don’t get along.

“I don’t think Serena was ever friends with Meghan,” one Reddit user commented. “I think their whole relationship is transactional.”

“Meghan always seemed way more invested in the relationship than Serena ever did,” another user wrote. “I’d even say Serena was totally indifferent to the whole thing.”

Serena Williams previously called Meghan Markle the ‘epitome of strength’ and ‘confidence’

While some fans may be skeptical of Serena Williams and Meghan Markle’s friendship, the tennis star and the royal have a long history of praising each other. DailyMail.com reported in 2018 that Williams praised her “wonderful friendship” with Meghan that stood the test of time.

“We always had a wonderful friendship,” Williams said. “Every year for a couple years, she comes out to Wimbledon, has supported me …. Now, she’s supporting me in a different role, but our friendship is still exactly the same. We always have supported each other, just been there for each other through a lot.”

Years later, in another interview on Stuart Weitzman’s The Shine Series, Williams commented positively on Meghan’s “strength,” “confidence,” and “selflessness.”

“Meghan is a great person, and I think the epitome of strength, the epitome of confidence, the epitome of just selflessness, and the epitome of everything is just her and everything that she’s gone through,” Williams complimented. “… I just think that she is the strongest person I know. I don’t know anyone else that could handle anything on such a global scale the way that she’s had to handle things that are just untrue, minute after minute ….”

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