Serena Williams shares new photo of 'dear friend' Meghan Markle as fans gush over royal's 'enlightening' first podcast

The US tennis star posted a never-before-seen photo of the Duchess of Sussex after appearing on the first episode of Archetypes

Serena Williams shares new Meghan Markle photo after 'dear friend's' first podcast
(Image credit: Getty)

Serena Williams has shared a new photo of Meghan Markle after appearing on the Duchess of Sussex's first podcast episode and royal fans can't get enough. 


Serena Williams has treated royal fans to a new photo of Meghan Markle after appearing as a guest on her 'dear friend's' podcast, Archetypes. 

The Duchess of Sussex was joined by the US tennis star on Tuesday for a candid discussion on the 'double standard women face when they are labeled ambitious' in the feminist series' inaugural episode, The Misconception of Ambition. The exciting release comes nearly two years after plans for Meghan's Spotify podcast, which seeks to investigate and deconstruct labels that 'hold women back' in society, was announced. 

Meghan and Serena

Serena Williams and Meghan Markle have reportedly been friends since 2014 

(Image credit: Getty)

Shortly after the first episode dropped, Serena took to Instagram to share a never-before-seen photo of Meghan along with a sweet message. 

"I loved talking about so many important topics with my dear friend Meghan as her first guest on #archetypes for @spotify! It’s out now and worth the listen, especially if you’re ambitious," the 40-year-old athlete wrote, before punctuating the caption with a heart emoji. 

In the black-and-white image, Meghan, also 40, is smiling at the camera while Serena cradles her four-year-old daughter, Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr. 

The Duchess has gone for a casual outfit, wearing a slouchy denim dress complimented by a cream jacket, while Serena poses in a Nike tank top and what appears to be a pair of Nike leggings. The 23-time Grand Slam title holder, who has reportedly been friends with Meghan since 2014, also added a diamond heart necklace to her athleisure look. 

While Serena didn't clarify when the photo was taken, it appears to be from Day 13 of the US Open Tennis Championship in New York in 2019. A little investigative work reveals that Meghan's blue and white ensemble in the Instagram snap is identical to the outfit she wore at the sporty event, in which Serena Williams lost to Canada's Bianca Andreescu in the women's singles final match. 

Royal fans were delighted to see the update from the tennis icon, with countless followers sharing their glowing feedback on the collaboration in the comment section. 

"I just finished listening to the podcast. It was fabulous! I loved the questions and your responses," one person wrote. 

A number of revelations about the Duchess's inner world were made in the candid discussion, including that Meghan Markle was 'so tired' during her pregnancies and that Archie narrowly escaped a fire during the Sussexes' South Africa tour in 2019. 

"I am pleased with how well this was executed. From beginning to end, I enjoyed it. It was an enlightening and very touching conversation with Duchess Meghan and Serena Williams," another impressed listener said. 

"This reminds me of a brunch conversation between two girlfriends about life, friendship, and motherhood." 

Emma Dooney
Lifestyle News Writer

Hailing from the lovely city of Dublin, Emma mainly covers the Royal Family and the entertainment world, as well as the occasional health and wellness feature. Always up for a good conversation, she has a passion for interviewing everyone from A-list celebrities to the local GP - or just about anyone who will chat to her, really.

Emma holds an MA in International Journalism from City, University of London, and a BA in English Literature from Trinity College Dublin.