Serena Williams Shelled out $200K for Meghan Markle’s Baby Shower

Serena Williams reportedly spent a royal sum on Meghan Markle‘s baby shower.

The Duchess of Sussex, currently in the third trimester of her first pregnancy with husband Prince Harry, was reportedly treated to an extravagant baby shower befitting of the little prince or princess’ royal pedigree that, according to Vanity Fair, added up to a total cost of $200,000.

Organized by the world renowned tennis star, who has been close friends with the Duchess ever since they first met at the Super Bowl in 2010, the shower took place on Wednesday at New York City’s Upper East Side the Mark hotel. Williams is said to have reserved the hotel’s penthouse suite, which is the most expensive hotel room in the U.S. with a $75,000 per night price tag.

Fit for a queen, the room spans two floors and features three king-sized bedrooms, two queen-sized bedrooms, six bathrooms and a private rooftop terrace with views of Central Park, which were filled by the shower’s attendees – co-host Amal Clooney, Gayle King, Markle’s former Suits costar Abigail Spencer, her college friend Lindsay Roth, her former stylist Jessica Mulroney, Misha Nonoo, Markus Anderson, Markle’s wedding makeup artist Daniel Martin, and Priyanka Chopra.

Missing from the shower, however, was Markle’s sister-in-law, Kate Middleton, as baby showers are not only considered to be an American tradition, but also taboo among the British Royal family.

“As an American, she was very excited to have a baby shower thrown for her. I think she’d have felt she was missing out if she didn’t have one,” a source told the outlet. “It’s been such a fun time for her, she is with her oldest friends in the city she loves and really enjoying herself.”

The lavish event kicked off with a “flower-arranging lesson,” which was followed by a “dessert-tasting experience” that was overseen by the in-house restaurant’s head chef, Jean-Georges Vongerichten.

The seven-months pregnant Duchess arrived in New York City earlier in the week, having been flown in on a private jet owned by one of her friends who lives in Toronto. That friend reportedly covered the cost of the flight, estimated to be $100,000, as a baby shower gift. Markle is also believed to have been gifted an eco-friendly Babyletto 3-in-1 Hudson crib, which Hello! notes was seen being delivered to the Mark just prior to the party.

According to ABC News royal contributor Omid Scobie, the baby shower was just the first of two. Upon her return to Lonson, Markle will allegedly have a “smaller gathering” after she and Prince Harry return from their trip to Morocco.