The Duchess of Sussex's so-called rival, Emma Thynn, Marchioness of Bath, arrived at Wimbledon to support Serena Williams in her much-anticipated return to Wimbledon yesterday – while Meghan was a no-show.

Back in 2019, it was Montecito-based Meghan, 44, who turned up at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club to support the tennis star as she took on Simona Halep in the Ladies' Singles Final – but in the time since, fans claim that their friendship has somewhat cooled.

Fast forward to this year, and despite speculation that the Duchess might attend to support her long-time friend, given she is reportedly holidaying in Europe, it was Emma who cheered the tennis legend on.

The aristocrat, dressed in an all-white ensemble, also spoke of how the tennis star is an inspirational mother to her two young daughters, Olympia, eight, and Adira, two.

In conversation with Hello! Emma said: 'Serena said she did it for her daughters. I think that's the best thing in the world to show them how strong she is and how she is doing it with such joy and enthusiasm.

'She's brilliant, she's strong and she's doing all the things and just doing it with such grace as always.'

Prince Harry's wife has long been accused of copying Emma, 40, who also has a lifestyle brand and, like the Duchess, produces homemade jam from her Longleat estate.

Following the launch of Meghan's Netflix series in 2025, 'With Love, Meghan', eagle-eyed viewers spotted a series of similarities to a YouTube cooking show, 'Emma's Kitchen', hosted by the Marchioness.

Emma posts videos of her creations after launching the brand in 2015 using the backdrop of the original kitchens within Longleat House.

One observer posted similar still images from each show, writing: 'Emma Weymouth, Marchioness of Bath, has had a cooking programme at Longleat estate for nine years!'

Another said: 'Why is Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex trying to channel Emma Thynn, Marchioness of Bath? Emma seems more natural while Meghan often seems like she's acting from a script. I think Meghan should focus strictly on charity work.'

A third added: 'This woman has no original idea! This is a copy of Emma's Kitchen!' And a fourth tweeted: 'Very much like Emma's Kitchen on YouTube.'

When previously asked by the Daily Mail's Harriet Kean what she thought of claims Meghan had copied her, Emma raised her eyebrow and said: 'No comment.' 

Comparisons between the two were also drawn in the latest season of reality TV show, Ladies Of London: The New Reign. In the opening scenes designer Lottie Kane brought up the Duchess while introducing the Marchioness to viewers.

'She is the first black woman to be married into an aristocratic family, and I think Meghan Markle tries to claim that, but it was actually Emma,' she said.

'I'm of mixed heritage, half-Nigerian, half-English,' added Emma, who became the Marchioness of Bath after her husband's father, Alexander Thynn, died in 2020.

At the same time, doubt has been cast over the Montecito-based royal's friendship with Serena after the tennis star's 'disastrous' As Ever promotion on Instagram.

Serena was among the lucky few to receive a PR parcel filled with Meghan's Mother's Day edit earlier this year, which included candles inspired by her children and a £42 box of chocolates.

But instead of posting a glowing, high-effort product shot, the athlete shared a bizarre, 'casual' attempt at promotion, showing the chocolates displaced and partially crushed in the box, or as she put it, 'botched' – before adding that she 'doesn't like chocolate'.

The post was worlds away from the usual snaps shared by celebrities to promote their friends' businesses – and when Meghan sent round her first PR packages, Kris Jenner and Chrissy Teigen shared a stunning setup to showcase the products.

Serena's post appeared to involve a much lower effort, with fans branding the post 'poorly done'. One wrote: 'I'm not sure if Serena just tossed the box around before filming, but the end result felt like a very poorly done promotion.'

In the clip, Serena said as she showcased the crushed treats: 'Anyway, the chocolate was beautiful. It was delicious. I don't like chocolate, but I have been killing them. So good.'

Commenting on Meghan's calligraphy, she said: 'Her penmanship has always been amazing from the 100 years I seem to have known her.'

And when looking at the No.506 candle, which features scents of ginger, cashmere and neroli, Serena said she 'can't pronounce' the last ingredient – and it was much the same for the second candle, which included santal – 'another word I can't pronounce'.

She concluded the post by saying, presumably directed at Meghan, 'I love candles, thank you, I love you'.

One commenter wrote: 'It actually makes you wonder – why would you make your friend's product look bad while trying to promote it?'

A second wrote: 'Serena has been Markled.' A third joked: 'I don't like chocolate... It was delicious... Uhhhhhh.'

A fourth wrote: 'What a beautiful box... and inside a complete mess.'

Another disagreed, saying: 'She did say she liked Meghan's penmanship, and that she doesn't like chocolate, but she had devoured those ones. I don't think it was intentional.'

Speculation reached fever pitch after the tennis star appeared at the Met Gala with Emma and Edward Enninful in May.

The trio's cosy appearance at the New York event left fans further questioning Serena's relationship with the Duchess.

Serena and Emma are thought to be close friends. They've holidayed together in Spain and the Marchioness previously appeared on the A-lister's podcast Stockton Street.

Meghan has yet to attend the Met Gala, and isn't thought to have been invited this year, despite Serena's sister Venus being a co-chair at the 2026 event. 

In September 2025, Edward spectacularly failed to dispel rumours of a rift with Meghan after he hinted that he won't work with her again.

The ex-Vogue editor once described the former Suits actress as a 'bi-racial powerhouse' and an 'ultimate force for change'.

But six years on Edward has set up a new magazine and when asked if it will feature the duchess on the cover he said: 'I feel like I have done it.'

Instead he launched the £15 ($20) publication with the help of a host of his other A-list friends including Julia Roberts and Gwyneth Paltrow.

And in comments that throw an intriguing new light on his relationship with Meghan, he said he would happily feature King Charles and Queen Camilla because 'they care about the same things I do'.

Meghan and Serena met briefly in 2010, and again in 2014, with the Duchess explaining on her now defunct blog The Tig that the pair 'hit it off immediately'.

She invited the sportswoman to her wedding to Prince Harry and her star-studded baby shower when pregnant with Archie in New York City in February 2019.

Serena previously advised Meghan to 'stop being so nice' and also praised her 'class and poise' in the famous Oprah interview.

According to Mark Hodgkinson in Serena: A Graphic Biography of the Greatest Tennis Champion, the women's friendship quickly evolved through frequent phone calls and texts.

After becoming Prince Harry's girlfriend and then a duchess, Meghan leaned on Serena for mentoring on how to handle the paparazzi and the international media.

Serena advised her to 'stop being so nice', according to the author.

And when Meghan learned she was pregnant shortly after Serena's little girl was born, she offered her parenting advice.

In 2021, Williams revealed: 'We have known each other for a long time, but we really are relying on each other a lot recently.'

She added that watching Meghan marry Prince Harry in May 2018 was particularly special.

Serena said: 'It was really exciting to see so much African-American culture in the wedding and I was really happy that Meghan wanted to incorporate that into it. It was just a whole cultural shift and change.

'It was seeing how far African-Americans have come. I thought it was an incredibly inspiring and beautiful and really motivating thing. I was so proud of her and so happy for her.'

Meanwhile, in 2021, Serena praised Meghan, saying she is the 'epitome of class and strength' following her bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey.

She spoke to Behnaz Ghahramani, the chief marketing officer at Stuart Weitzman, for the debut episode of the brand's Shine Series, where she discussed her long-term friendship with the duchess.

She described Meghan as 'the strongest person I know'.