Meghan Markle was nowhere near the venue as Serena Williams made her highly anticipated return to Wimbledon, but her absence still drew attention thanks to the presence of her so-called rival, Emma Thynn.

The Marchioness of Bath was on hand to cheer the tennis legend on as rumors of a falling out between Meghan and Serena continue to pick up steam.

In fact, it remains unclear whether Meghan will travel to the UK, let alone make a Wimbledon appearance, as the security situation involving her husband, Prince Harry, continues to drag on.

Meghan Markle Missing At Wimbledon As Emma Thynn Takes Center Stage

Wimbledon kicked off earlier this week with major fanfare surrounding Serena Williams’ return to the game.

A star-studded crowd has already flocked to the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club to witness the spectacle, including Bad Bunny, David Beckham (who attended with his mother, Sandra), Niall Horan, Isla Fisher, and comedian Chelsea Handler.

While speculation was rife that Meghan would make a high-profile appearance during her rumored UK visit, it was her supposed rival, Emma Thynn, Marchioness of Bath, who was on the ground to support Serena.

Back in 2019, the Duchess of Sussex turned up at the pristine grass courts of SW19 to cheer on Serena, but fans suspect their relationship has cooled over the years.

Serena Williams’ Post Fuels Rumors Of Rift With Meghan Markle

In fact, doubts have emerged over whether Meghan and Serena are still on speaking terms, especially after the seven-time Wimbledon champion shared what some called a “disastrous” promotion of the Duchess’s As Ever offerings on social media.

According to the Daily Mail, Serena was one of the individuals to whom Meghan sent some of her lifestyle-brand wares, including candles inspired by her children and a £42 ($56) box of chocolates.

But instead of making a polished effort to show them off, as most celebrities do, she made a “casual” attempt by showing the chocolates “botched,” as she put it, before adding that she “doesn’t like chocolate.”

“Anyway, the chocolate was beautiful. It was delicious. I don’t like chocolate, but I have been killing them. So good,” she added as she showed off the crushed chocolates.

When commenting on Meghan’s calligraphy, she said, “Her penmanship has always been amazing from the 100 years I seem to have known her.”

Speaking on the candles that came as part of the offerings, she pointed out that she couldn’t pronounce some of the ingredients before concluding, presumably in a message to Meghan, “I love candles, thank you, I love you.”

Many fans branded the post as “poorly done,” with one writing, “It actually makes you wonder – why would you make your friend’s product look bad while trying to promote it?”

Serena Williams And Emma Thynn’s Friendship Grows Stronger

To add salt to injury, Serena has grown closer to Emma, whom Meghan has often been accused of copying.

The aristocrat has grown close to the tennis icon in recent years, with the pair holidaying together in Spain and posing for photos at the Met Gala in May alongside Edward Enninful.

Speaking on Serena’s return to tennis in a conversation with Hello!, Thynn gushed about her friend, saying, “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,” she added.

Meanwhile, it is well known that Meghan was not invited to fashion’s biggest night at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, despite Serena’s sister, Venus, being a co-chair of the 2026 event.

Meghan Markle Faces Renewed Emma Thynn Copycat Claims

Meghan has often been accused of copying Thynn and fueling a subtle rivalry between them.

Unlike the Duchess, who launched her As Ever lifestyle brand early last year, the Marchioness had been running her lifestyle and food brand long before and also produces homemade jam from her Longleat estate.

When Meghan launched her Netflix series, “With Love, Meghan,” in 2025, eagle-eyed fans spotted similarities to a YouTube show that Thynn hosts, “Emma’s Kitchen.”

Even among high society, the comparison seems to have persisted, as designer Lottie Kane brought it up in the latest season of the reality TV show “Ladies Of London: The New Reign.”

“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, per the Daily Mail.

“I’m of mixed heritage, half-Nigerian, half-English,” Emma added.

Meghan Markle’s UK Plans Remain Unclear Amid Security Row

Meanwhile, it remains unclear if Meghan will eventually travel to the UK with Prince Harry for a scheduled Invictus Games event.

Doubts have been cast over whether he would make the trip with her and their children, as his request for police protection was rejected. He has repeatedly expressed a desire to bring his family to the UK but has noted that he cannot do so due to his security situation.

Following his decision to step down from his working royal roles in 2020, Harry’s taxpayer-funded security was withdrawn, and since then, he has been locked in a legal tussle with the Home Office to get it reinstated.

A source told The Mirror that Harry “has grown increasingly frustrated with the whole process and has had to alter his standpoint.”

“From initially being told a decision would be made within a matter of weeks, it is now more than six months on. He (Harry) was determined to travel back to the UK with his family around the Invictus event, so he has finally made the decision to accept the offer of staying at a royal residence, which he believes will be sufficient for this trip,” they added.

The Meghan Markle Missing At Wimbledon As Rumored Rival Backs Serena Williams first appeared on The Blast