Royal Family News
Serena Williams Curtsies to Queen Elizabeth in Resurfaced Video, Sparking Criticism of Meghan Markle
A resurfaced video of retired tennis pro Serena Williams performing a curtsy for Queen Elizabeth II has sparked criticism of Meghan Markle, who was roasted on social media for saying she thought being asked to curtsy to the Queen was a joke.
The video, which was shared online by TikTok user Lady Brown Sugar, shows Serena performing the traditional form of reverence during the 2010 Wimbledon Championships in London.
The video has been viewed more than 1.5 million times and has drawn attention to Meghan's earlier claims about being unfamiliar with British customs.
In a docuseries, Meghan described being asked to curtsy to the Queen by Prince Harry ahead of her first introduction to Elizabeth in 2017.
“I remember in the car driving up and Harry said, you know how to curtsy right?
And I just thought it was a joke,” Meghan told viewers.
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The camera then cut to Harry, who expressed his difficulty in explaining to an American why they had to bow to his grandmother.
Meghan's re-enactment of a dramatic medieval-style curtsy earned her criticism for being insensitive to British customs.
Curtsying is a traditional form of reverence offered to royalty in Britain.
Although there's no official requirement for members of the public to curtsy, members of the royal family must curtsy to the monarch upon first greeting them and when saying goodbye.
Serena's curtsy to the Queen, captured on video, has reignited criticism of Meghan's earlier claims of being unfamiliar with this custom.
Many commenters on the TikTok video of Williams' curtsy have roasted Meghan over her earlier docuseries claims.
One commenter wrote, “‘The curtsy story of hers was really unbelievable.
Unless yeah, she lived in the mountains or something.”
Another posted, “‘Anyone that doesn't know has been living under a rock.”
This criticism comes amid claims made by Tom Bauer in his book Revenge, which was widely reported on after its release last month.
Bauer claims that Serena Williams denied being friends with Meghan Markle, who reportedly gave Vanity Fair writer Sam Kashner a list of her friends in a previous interview.
Upon calling Ms. Williams, who was on the list, she denied it and called Meghan an acquaintance.
Bauer also claimed that Meghan's baby shower was characterised as a publicity stunt organised by Sunshine Sachs, and that Oprah was trying to secure rights for the interview pre-marriage.
Bauer alleged that Serena spoke out in defence of Meghan and racism, most likely due to Sunshine Sachs asking her to.
It's important to note that Meghan and Serena both work with Sunshine Sachs, and Bauer's claims have sparked further scrutiny of their relationship.
Serena's silence since the release of Revenge has not gone unnoticed, and her recent statement to a reporter that she and Meghan are acquaintances rather than friends suggests that she is done with being used in this charade.
The resurfacing of the video of Serena's curtsy to the Queen has reignited criticism of Meghan's earlier claims of being unfamiliar with British customs.
It remains to be seen whether this will have any impact on the ongoing scrutiny of Meghan and her relationship with the royal family.