Serena Williams shares warm hug with Meghan Markle, steps into 'auntie' role for duchess' daughter Lilibet during fun playdate

Serena Williams reunited with Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, and had an adorable playdate with Princess Lilibet. Williams and Markle, close friends for many years, also shared a glimpse of their warm hug.

Meghan, who recently made her return to Instagram, took to her Story to show off Princess Lilibet's 23-time Grand Slam title-winning 'auntie' Williams. They were celebrating the Duchess' upcoming Netflix show, 'With Love, Meghan.'

In the first image, Williams is spotted sitting near Princess Lilibet and playing and in the next image, Meghan, her daughter, and Williams are seen indulging in a board activity. The final image on her Story was a heartwarming glimpse of a hug between the friends.

Serena Williams and Meghan Markle's Instagram Stories (Image: Instagram @serenawilliams & meghan)

The lifestyle series, With Love, Meghan, set to premiere on Netflix on March 4, 2025, will feature Meghan Markle cooking, gardening, and having celebrity guests over.

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"We became such fast friends" - Meghan Markle on when her friendship with Serena Williams began at Super Bowl 2014

Meghan Markle cheers for Serena Williams at the US Open 2019 - Source: Getty

Serena Williams and Meghan Markle first met at the Super Bowl in Miami in 2010. However, they interacted properly and became friends four years later during the Super Bowl 2014 in New York.

The Duchess of Sussex recalled the meeting with Williams on the debut episode of her podcast Archetypes.

"It was the same year as the Super Bowl when the Super Bowl was in New York," Meghan Markle said. "I'd never been it before and then I show up and I see you walking toward someone. I remember thinking, 'Oh my gosh, who is Serena Williams going to talk to?'"

"I looked behind me and when I turned around, you were there right in front of me...We became such fast friends," Markle continued.

During the same episode, which featured the 23-time Grand Slam champion, Williams added:

"We have a lot in common."

Their friendship has only strengthened since then. At the 2014 US Open, Markle cheered on her friend as Williams won her third consecutive title at the Flushing Meadows. Meghan even tweeted about hugging Williams for her 2015 Australian Open title.

After years of friendship and support, Williams attended Meghan Markle's wedding to Prince Harry with her husband Alexis Ohanian. The pair continue to support each other and most recently, the American tennis icon even celebrated Markle's return to Instagram.