6 royals and their celebrity BFFs, from Meghan Markle and Serena Williams to Princess Diana and Elton John, plus Leonardo DiCaprio and Prince Albert II’s environmental bromance

Oct 19 , 2021

Princess Diana and Elton John met at Prince Andrew’s 21st birthday party while Meghan Markle and Serena Williams became friends after appearing in a reality show together. Photos: @eltonjohn/Instagram, Getty Images

Royals striking up friendships with celebrities is nothing new. After all, they run in the same circles and have many things in common – fame and fortune for starters!

Here are some royal-celeb friendships that you might not know existed. Some of them crossed paths at high-profile events, while other pairs have mutual friends to thank for introducing them. Let’s have a look ...

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Princess Eugenie and Ellie Goulding

Whether it’s at a New York Knicks game or a trip to Jordan, don’t be surprised to see Princess Eugenie and Ellie Goulding side by side. Rumour has it that the British royal was even the one who set up the award-winning singer with her husband, art dealer Caspar Jopling. The two women attended each other’s wedding ceremonies, and motherhood has brought them even closer.

Prince Albert II of Monaco and Leonardo DiCaprio

A shared passion for the environment is what brought Prince Albert II and Leonardo DiCaprio together. But when they aren’t joining forces at charity galas or taking part in climate change marches, the duo can be spotted having dinner in New York. Both men have honoured each other with awards from their respective foundations, too.

Princess Diana and Elton John

Elton John and Princess Diana were long-time friends. Photo: @eltonjohn/Instagram

Elton John has a long history with the royal family, but nothing compares to his bond with the people’s princess. They easily became besties at Prince Andrew’s 21st birthday in 1981, but their almost-two-decade friendship had its ups and downs. They patched things up just over a month before Diana’s death in 1997, with the British music icon performing at her funeral. Since then, he has grown close to her sons, Prince William and Prince Harry.

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Queen Rania of Jordan and Nicole Kidman

Queen Rania and Nicole Kidman have met up on several occasions. Photos: AFP, Bloomberg

The Jordanian monarch and the Big Little Lies actress met at a lunch and instantly hit it off, according to Elle. Since then, they have been photographed together on several occasions, including the annual Important Dinner for Women and the baptism of common friend Wendi Murdoch’s daughters.

Prince Harry and James Corden

Dubbed a “royal bromance” by The Telegraph, Prince Harry and James Corden have been pals for about a decade now. The British TV host even provided some comic relief at Harry and Meghan’s wedding reception in 2018.

Upon moving to Los Angeles in 2021, Prince Harry joined Corden on The Late Late Show and took a tour aboard an open-air double-decker bus before his infamous tell-all with Oprah Winfrey.

Meghan Markle and Serena Williams

Markle – who is friends with a number of A-listers – and the tennis legend are close friends. They have had each other’s backs since 2014, after taking part in DirecTV’s Celebrity Beach Bowl. Williams did not only co-host a baby shower for Archie, but has also defended the duchess from mounting criticism. Meanwhile, Markle has regularly supported Williams’ tennis matches.

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Prince William and David Beckham

These British lads first became mates while working on London’s 2012 Olympic bid, following that up with a couple of campaigns and charity events. The football legend and his wife, Victoria, attended William and Kate’s nuptials in 2011. Beckham once told Esquire that his friendship with Prince William as well as Prince Harry seems like “a very normal relationship”.

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Royalty

Prince Harry is pals with James Corden, and even took part in an LA bus tour with The Late Late Show host before his tell-all with Oprah Winfrey
Queen Rania of Jordan and Nicole Kidman hit it off at a lunch, while close friends Princess Eugenie and Ellie Goulding attended each other’s weddings