

Serena Williams and Meghan Markle are rumored to be close friends, and it turns out they might have even more in common than they thought. Amid the drama with Meghan's family that has unfolded this week (note: her dad officially will not be at the wedding), Williams revealed that her father didn't walk her down the aisle, either.
Richard Williams—who was also Serena's tennis coach for years—had a suit ready for the big day, and decided one hour before that he couldn't do it. "He was in New Orleans, he had a suit, and I know he was really excited," the tennis champion says in a new documentary titled Being Serena via Vogue.
A post shared by Serena Williams (@serenawilliams)
A photo posted by on
"But then he wrote me and said: 'Serena, I don't want you to be mad at me, but I just can't walk you down the aisle. I'm not myself anymore. I'm just too nervous.'"
And instead of being upset, she pulled the ultimate champion move, and told him it was okay.
"If he doesn't want to be up there in front of a lot of people, I completely understand. Look, when we first came on the scene, there were a lot of people who didn't get him. I don't think a lot of them wanted to get him," Williams says.
"I don't think a lot of him could have anyway. Our family knows what we have. We just want each other to be happy. That's what matters. I don't think anything could ever change that."
Williams and her husband, Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, were married in November. Just two months before their wedding day, they welcomed a baby girl, Alexis Olympia Ohanian, after enduring a dramatic delivery.
A post shared by Serena Williams (@serenawilliams)
A photo posted by on
Though it seems Williams won't be Meghan's maid of honor, it's likely she received an invite to the wedding and (we're hoping!) will be there to support her friend on her special day.
RELATED STORY
RELATED STORY
Stay In The Know
Marie Claire email subscribers get intel on fashion and beauty trends, hot-off-the-press celebrity news, and more. Sign up here.

I’m currently working at Dotdash Meredith as the Celeb & Entertainment E-Commerce Lead contributing affiliate content for People.com and InStyle.com. I’m basically like your personal shopper, from writing about that cozy loungewear set you didn’t know you needed to keeping tabs on the best sales and deals on the internet. I’m also a pro at finding affordable dupes for celebrity looks and I love to dig into the data to strategize content opportunities.
-
Taylor Swift Says Her Career Was "Taken Away" by Kim and Kanye: "Make No Mistake"
She's finally ready to talk about it.
By Fleurine Tideman
-
Cult Docuseries Are Having a Moment—Here Are 10 to Watch Now
From 'The Vow' to 'Love Has Won: The Cult of Mother God'
By Quinci LeGardye
-
Taylor Swift, Anna Wintour, Laura Dern, and Robert Patterson Made an All-Star Front Row at an NYC Premiere
Grab the popcorn.
By Fleurine Tideman
-
Sarah Hyland and Adam Devine Play 'How Well Do You Know Your Co-Star?'
The 'Modern Family' stars reunited for the 'Pitch Perfect' spinoff series.
By Brooke Knappenberger
-
The 78 Best Celebrity Couple Halloween Costumes of All Time
Honestly, we're impressed.
By Charlotte Chilton
-
Super Rare Photos of Queen Elizabeth as a Young Woman
From childhood snapshots to portraits as a young princess, beautiful and rare photos of the late Queen Elizabeth as a young woman.
By Mehera Bonner
-
King Charles III and Queen Consort Camilla's Relationship: A Timeline
With the passing of Queen Elizabeth II, Charles has ascended to the throne as king.
By The Editors
-
Who Is Next in Line for the British Throne, Explained
And yes—Harry and Archie are still in the line of succession.
By Andrea Park
-
Britney Spears and Sam Asghari Are Married!
Congratulations are in order.
By Iris Goldsztajn
-
Who Is Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's Fiancé Riley Roberts?
AOC's husband-to-be is an "easygoing redhead" who lives with her in D.C.
By Katherine J. Igoe
-
'Harry Potter' Star Bonnie Wright Married Love Andrew Lococo: See the Wedding Ring
Ginny has found her Harry.
By Iris Goldsztajn