Serena Williams Reveals Why She Told Pal and Mom-to-Be Meghan Markle to 'Stop Being so Nice'
To the world, they’re a tennis superstar and an actress-turned-royal. But to each other, Serena Williams and Meghan Markle are just good friends swapping pregnancy tips.
At Wednesday night’s launch for her clothing line Serena during Art Basel in Miami, the sports icon told PEOPLE that Meghan hasn’t changed one bit — despite juggling her busy new role as a duchess while being pregnant for the first time.
“I’m like, ‘How are you?’ and she’s like, ‘No, how are you?’ and I’m like, ‘You’re so sweet, but I’m really asking – how are YOU?’ ” said Serena. “I’m like, ‘Meghan, stop being so nice…you’re the pregnant one, aren’t you supposed to have hormones, why are you so sweet?’ But that’s always been her.”
Williams, who welcomed daughter Alexis Olympia with husband Alexis Ohanian in Sept. 2017, also shared that while she is giving the Duchess of Sussex plenty of advice from one new mom to a soon-to-be parent, Meghan “still gives me more advice.”
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But the tennis legend’s best piece of advice to first-time moms? “It will come.”
“I don’t know what’s going to happen, I didn’t know how I’m going to have a baby, and it all came,” Serena explains. “It’s so crazy, I totally changed, and it literally is like a switch. And so, I say that, ‘It will come.’ “
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Meghan and Serena first met at the Super Bowl in 2010 and immediately hit it off. They also appeared together at the 2014 Super Bowl, competing in DIRECTV’s Celebrity Beach Bowl. They played former NFL pros for the prize, but made sure to make some time for fun on the sidelines.
Meghan revealed in a Vogue interview how much she admires the athlete, and dished on what kind of mother she’ll be. “She will be an amazing mom. The very best, because she is so attuned to balancing strength and sensitivity. Plus, given that she is pretty epic at karaoke, I think she’ll put her signature Serena spin on singing lullabies for the baby. I can’t wait for that!”
Despite Meghan moving to London for her new life as a royal, the pals have continued to support each other. Serena was on the guest list for Meghan and Prince Harry’s royal wedding in May, and Meghan cheered on the athlete at Wimbledon over the summer alongside sister-in-law Kate Middleton.
On the second day of Meghan and Prince Harry‘s royal tour Down Under, Meghan made a sweet style move by wearing a blazer from Serena’s clothing line — and the sports star’s reaction was priceless.
“The face you make when you and Meghan have matching @serenablazers ]]>😍
