A smiling Meghan Markle has been seen enjoying lunch with tennis legend Serena Williams ahead of the Duchess of Sus𝓈ℯ𝓍‘s new Netflix series being launched.
The pair were spotted at the restaurant Tre Luna in Montecito, close to the California home Meghan shares with husband Prince Harry and their two children.
The duchess appeared in good spirits, alongside 23-time Grand Slam winner Williams, 43 – and was also seen giving a hug to restaurant owner Gene Montesano and his wife Erika before leaving.
The public appearance comes ahead of her new lifestyle series called With Love, Meghan going live on Netflix on Tuesday morning.
Speaking ahead of its release, the 43-year-old royal said the eight-part series had helped her to ‘find herself’ again.
But despite her huge 2million-strong following on social media, she insisted she instead saw as a ‘female founder’ and ‘entrepreneur’ rather than an influencer.
Meghan has also added to anticipation of the show by sharing an Instagram clip in which she describes friend Serena as one of her family’s ‘aunties’.
The duchess this weekend posted online a video showing her playing a personalised board game with Meghan and Harry’s three-year-old daughter Lilibet.
Meghan Markle has been pictured at a California restaurant with tennis star Serena Williams
The pair who have been friends for over a decade were spotted at Tre Luna on Saturday
Meghan has also added to anticipation of hew new Netflix series by sharing an Instagram clip in which she describes friend Serena Williams as one of her family’s ‘aunties’
With accompaniment from the Bill Withers song Lovely Day, Meghan wrote: ‘When the aunties come to celebrate… and to play! Love you @serenawilliams.’
Meghan and Serena first met at a Super Bowl party in 2010 and became firm friends after reuniting at an event in 2014.
The duchess invited the sportswoman to her wedding to Prince Harry and her star-studded 𝚋𝚊𝚋𝚢 shower when pregnant with son Archie in New York in February 2022.
Meghan wrote on her former website The Tig: ‘We hit it off immediately, taking pictures, laughing through the flag football game we were both playing in, and chatting not about tennis or acting, but about all the good old fashioned girlie stuff. So began our friendship.’
Serena has also been vocal in her praise for Meghan, including comments following the Duke and Duchess’s bombshell CNN interview with Oprah Winfrey in 2021.
The tennis player said afterwards: ‘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.
‘You can see from the interview that it wasn’t easy. But she had so much poise and she still had so much class..
‘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.
Meghan and Serena were seen at restaurant Tre Luna in Montecito, California, on Saturday
The duchess was seen hugging restaurant owner Gene Montesano and his wife Erika
Meghan and tennis legend Serena Williams were pictured at the restaurant in California
The future Duchess of Sus𝓈ℯ𝓍 (left) is seen here with Serena Williams (centre) and Hannah Davis (right) at the DirecTV Beach Bowl at Pier 40 in New York City in February 2014
Meghan was seen beaming ahead of her Netflix series being released on Tuesday
Meghan wore a navy blue pin-stripe pant-suit while Serene opted for a burgundy one-piece
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‘Not even day after day. Just minute after minute, another untrue allegation being thrown at her.
‘I think it was important for me to say something because I’m tired of sitting back and seeing all this negativity that’s just not true.’
The duchess followed her Instagram video this weekend featuring ‘Auntie’ Serena with an excited countdown to her cooking show With Love, Meghan – adding: ‘Three days until the party begins. All are invited @netflix.’
She had earlier shared the first clip of her new Netflix show after streaming giant Netflix released a sneak preview.
The teaser shows the Duchess bonding with ‘new friend’ and chef Roy Choi over their shared love of ‘karaoke and dancing’ in Koreatown while preparing a hearty meal of Korean fried chicken in a glamorous kitchen set.
‘With Love, Meghan’ is set to premiere on March 4, after the series was delayed from its initial January release date due to the California wildfires.
The clip begins with Meghan telling Choi: ‘The best thing about Koreatown is that you could go to all ages clubs and karaoke bars…’
‘I was part of dance crews, all that stuff,’ he replies.
The Duchess of Sus𝓈ℯ𝓍 and Serena Williams are seen here at the ESPY Awards at Dolby Theatre in July 2024 in Hollywood, California
Meghan has been sharing clips and messages on her Instagram ahead of the Netflix shows
Meghan’s new eight-part show will feature her cooking for friends, flower arranging and showing how to host small events for friends
The joint appearance of Serena Williams and Meghan Markle in Montecito was on Saturday
Meghan appeared delighted to catch up with friends including the restaurant’s owners
Tennis legend Serena Williams shook hands with restaurant owner Gene Montesano
The Duchess of Sus𝓈ℯ𝓍 exchanged fond greetings with her restaurant hosts
The Italian restaurant Tre Lune is not far from the Duke and Duchess’s Montecito home
Meghan and Serena, pictured on Saturday in California, first met at a SuperBowl party in 2014
Their lunch on Saturday came days ahead of Meghan’s new Netflix show being broadcast
Both Serena Williams and Meghan Markle looked to be in positive spirits on Saturday
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She then reminisces over different dances ‘that were such a big deal’ like the ‘Roger Rabbit’ and the ‘Kid-N-Play’.
‘Oh, it was just so much fun,’ Meghan continued, while she and Choi work together in the kitchen of a million-dollar estate in Montecito, California.
The Korean-American chef, who shot to fame as the creator of the gourmet Korean-Mexican taco truck Kogi, then remarks: ‘Man, you and I are so similar.’
Meghan’s Netflix cookery show will launch tomorrow morning and be accompanied by a new merchandise range called As Ever.
Speaking to People magazine, the Duchess of Sus𝓈ℯ𝓍 has insisted she did not view herself as a social media star – saying: ‘I see myself as an entrepreneur and a female founder and if the brand ends up influential, then that’s great.’
The new eight-part series has been filmed inside an $8million (£5million) mansion on a sprawling estate just two miles from the Sus𝓈ℯ𝓍es’ Montecito home.
In trailers, Meghan is seen cooking, baking, cocktail making, flower arranging and party planning using its kitchen’s £15,000 cooker, £600 pans, £60 chopping boards and hosting friends across the property’s stunning rooms, garden and orchards.
It emerged last week through trademark filings that the Duchess plans to sell biscuit and pancake mixes under her newly rebranded lifestyle company ‘As Ever’.
Meghan, Harry and Serena posed together here at the ESPY Awards held at Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California, in July last year
Meghan is pictured with husband Prince Harry, who is set to make a brief appearance in the final episode of her new Netflix show
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Meghan had announced on February 18 the renaming of her venture from previous title American Riviera Orchard, which she said had limited her to locally-produced goods.
It was then revealed how a new application was made to the US Patent and Trademark Office on the same day, indicating a series of products she is looking to sell under the ‘As Ever’ brand.
On the list were goods set to compete with major brands such as Betty Crocker and Dr Oetker, including ‘mixes for bakery goods; cookie mixes; biscuit mixes; crepe mixes’.
These come under international trademark class 30, a category for food products.
The application was made by ‘2022 Trademarks LLC’, a firm established by Meghan’s representatives.
The Duchess had unveiled her lifestyle brand as American Riviera Orchard last year, sending out 50 jars of jam to her friends as a soft launch.
The ‘American Riviera’ is a nickname for Santa Barbara, where Meghan lives with husband Prince Harry and their children Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.
But US officials told Meghan geographical locations could not be patented and she therefore could not trademark the brand – prompting the switch to ‘As Ever’.
Serena and Meghan both attended this royal Salute Polo Challenge in Wellington, Florida, in April last year – held to benefit the Sentebale charity co-founded by Prince Harry
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Meghan confirmed the change of name in a video posted to her Instagram on February 18, shared with her 2.2million followers on the social media platform.
She also told how Netflix was not only the streaming platform for her forthcoming series due to go live on Tuesday, but also a partner in her business.
Meghan joked about the first product released by her firm last year, a limited edition jar of strawberry jam, telling viewers: ‘Of course there will be fruit preserves – I think we’re all clear at this point that jam is my jam.
‘But there’s so many more products that I just love that I use in my home and now it’s time to share it with you, so I can’t wait for you to see it.’
Harry could be heard in the background at the start of the video, saying: ‘It’s recording.’
The Duchess then previewed tomorrow’s Netflix broadcasts, saying: ‘In two weeks, my show is coming out, which I’m so excited for, and also my business, which I think there’s been a lot of curiosity about.
‘Last year, I had thought, “You know what, American Riviera, that sounds like such a great name, it’s my neighbourhood, it’s a nickname for Santa Barbara” – but it limited me to things that were just manufactured and grown in this area.
‘Then Netflix came on, not just as my partner in the show, but as my partner in my business, which was huge.’
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Pictured left to right at the DirecTV Beach Bowl at Pier 40 in February 2014 in New York City are Hannah Davis, Nina Agdal, Serena Williams, Meghan Markle and Shay Mitchell
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A trademark application for As Ever was first made in October 2022 before being dropped in favour of American Riviera Orchard, it was reported.
But when the American Riviera Orchard application was rejected, the As Ever application was submitted again last September – covering products such as downloadable and printed recipe books, tableware, textiles, and jams and marmalades.
Meghan told her Instagram fans: ‘As Ever essentially means as it’s always been, and if you’ve followed me since 2014 with The Tig, you know, I’ve always loved cooking and crafting and gardening.
‘This is what I do, and I haven’t been able to share it with you in the same way for the past few years but now I can.’
The Tig had been her lifestyle website used as a platform to discuss social issues such as gender equality as well as sharing articles on travel, food and fashion, but which she had closed down before marrying into the Royal family in May 2018.
The change of name looked like it could draw Meghan into a legal wrangle involving the owner of an independent New York retailer also called As Ever.
Mark Kolski, the designer and owner of vintage clothing studio As Ever NYC, told of being left ‘reeling’ by the news Meghan would relaunch her company under the same name as his own clothing label.
But after exploring his options, the 58-year-old last week announced he was no longer planning any legal response.
Meghan will be joined be some of her celebrity pals in the new show. Here she is seen with Suits co-star, Abigail Spencer
In one clip of ‘With Love, Meghan’, the Duchess of Sus𝓈ℯ𝓍 is shown prepping vegetables with the chef Roy Choi before the pair high-five one another
Meghan Markle has insisted she is not an influencer as part of an interview to promote her ‘make or break’ cookery show on Netflix
He told the New York News: ‘I’m not trying to mount some legal offensive here.
‘Right now, I’m just going back to work, and I’m trying to keep the awareness on my brand. If any conflict eventually arises that affects my business, I’ll evaluate that then.’
Mr Kolski said he had spoken with his brother, an attorney, who informed him he did have ‘some rights’ – before ultimately deciding against pursuing any action.
Meghan’s cooking and entertaining show is finally being launched on Netflix on Tuesday, after its January release was postponed due to the Los Angeles wildfires.
