MEGHAN Markle may have ditched the UK and royal duties, but she’s formed a tight multi-millionaire posse of successful women in California.
The Duchess of Sussex, 43, launched her second podcast series last week – Confessions of a Female Founder – and it is set to feature a host of her wealthy entourage.
Episode one, which aired on April 8, was an interview with Whitney Wolfe Herde, who is the founder of Bumble and co-founder of Tinder.
But the episode failed to impress, with and the Mail revealing how it only reached the top 19 on Spotify's US charts.
The new series follows Meghan's £18 million podcast payout for Archetypes, which led to for only producing 31 episodes.
In February 2021, Whitney is said to have become the world's youngest female billionaire at 31 when she took Bumble public.
But to Meghan, she is also “one of her closest friends”;, with many others expected to be called upon for the Lemonada podcast in the coming weeks.
The two women discussed everything from Meghan’s scary “life or death” health battle with , and
Five years after buying an in exclusive Santa Barbara County, California, many of the people Meghan and Harry hang out with now are their neighbours.
A local source said: “Her friends are very much into the Gwyneth Paltrow-style wellness fads.”;
Although the line-up of guests is yet to be confirmed, she's expected to call upon her new friendship circle – as she did with Archetypes and Netflix series With Love, Meghan.
There's some who definitely won't feature – after feeling she was “benefiting” from her royal position.
Ninaki Priddy, Meghan's best friend from the age of two who was maid of honour at her first wedding, is among those she's said to have cut out.
Meghan also no longer speaks to her Suits co-stars, former friend and advisor Gina Nelthorpe-Cowne, Millie Mackintosh and her own father Thomas Markle.
Here’s who Meghan could choose from her power posse for the rest of her series…
Serena Williams
Professional tennis player and founder of Serena Ventures and Wyn Beauty, Serena Williams could be a strong possibility for Meghan’s new podcast.
And the two famous women go way back.
The talented athlete is – with the pair having met at a party in 2010.
The duchess also described how the pair “hit it off immediately” and from then on have continued to support each other through their chosen charity work and business ventures.
Ahead of Meghan's appearance at in 2017, Serena said: “We have always supported each other, just been there for each other through a lot.”
Last month, Meghan shared a rare video of daughter Lilibet, three, with “auntie” Serena Williams as they played a game of Candy Land.
The clip also featured Bill Withers' Lovely Day, with the caption: “When the aunties come to celebrate… and to play! Love you @serenawilliams.”
Serena's net worth is a cool £260million – according to Forbes.
Gwyneth Paltrow
Could Oscar-winning actress Gwyneth Paltrow – founder of wellness brand – share her secrets to success on the podcast?
Last month, the two glamorous women appeared together in an Instagram video as the pair denied their alleged rivalry.
that the pair were following a number of.
Now, however, it appears the duo are friendly with one another, as they appeared casually in a story on Paltrow's Instagram account.
Gwyneth reacted to her rival’s foray into the wellness industry, thanks to the Netflix series and its tie-in brand .
She said: “I was raised to see other women as friends, not foes. I think there's always more than enough to go around.”
The actress has an estimated net worth of £150million.
Vicky Tsai
Meghan may also seek the expertise of friend and local Montecito resident Vicky Tsai, who is the co-founder of Japanese-inspired skincare company Tatcha.
Meghan has been a champion of pal Vicky’s brand for years, and even sent some of their products.
In 2019, she gave her baby shower guests a goodie bag which included Rice Polish, which is an exfoliant to ‘polish skin for a healthy glow'.
Five years before Meghan told Allure magazine: “I really love the Tatcha Rice Enzyme Powder. It just sort of foams on your face and gives you a really subtle exfoliation.”;
She also featured on the Duchess of Sussex’s
Vicky has a £10million mansion round the corner from the Sussexes – and sold her business to Unilever for £380million in 2019.
She later returned as the CEO of the brand.
Kelly Zafjen
Model Kelly, married to entertainment lawyer Julian, has previously described the Duchess as an “incredible friend”; – and it appears to be reciprocated.
She received one of Meghan’s 50 jams sent to pals and influencers last year, with Kelly’s jar being high up the pecking order at number three.
Meghan quickly returned the favour as she modelled a T-shirt bearing the slogan Love Like A Mother, in support of Kelly’s non-profit organisation, Alliance Of Moms.
The Duchess can be seen posing with her BFFs Kelly and Abigail in a series of candid snaps.
Kelly and Meghan, who previously enjoyed a winter getaway with Heather Dorak at Powder Mountain ski resort in , met through their husbands when Meghan was married to TV producer Trevor Engelson.
Meghan supported her after she lost her nine-year-old son George to and meningitis in 2022.
Her exact net worth is unknown, but is thought to be into the millions.
Heather Dorak
Pilates and yoga instructor Heather is a long-time friend of the Duchess, having met nearly 20 years ago.
She was a regular on Meghan’s before she closed her account ahead of marrying Harry.
Heather was also a confidante in the early days of Megxit after the couple stepped down as working royals in 2020.
The Texan, who gave fitness tips on Meghan’s blog The Tig, opened her first Pilates Platinum studio in Hollywood in 2006 and now has six hubs in Los Angeles and .
Heather, mum to sons Noah and Cody, and her husband Matt Cohen, founder of money-saving app Grand, attended the royal wedding.
She was also spotted hiking with Meghan near the couple’s Montecito mansion after celebrating Archie’s fourth birthday.
In a 2015 Instagram post, she marked ten years of friendship with Meghan.
Tracy Robbins
Fashion designer Tracy and her husband, boss Brian Robbins, are pals with Harry and Meghan and were spotted together at the Bob Marley film premiere in Jamaica last year.
The two couples posed on the red carpet, sparking speculation the Sussexes could form a working relationship with the Paramount Pictures CEO following their £15million Spotify contract coming to an end.
Tracy set up the Tracy James Collection, a line of dresses and kaftans, in 2022. She and Brian have three children together – Miles, Justin, and Stella – and live in Los Angeles.
She also got a coveted jam from Meghan – number 17 out of 50 – with Tracy writing: “Thank you for the delicious basket!”
Misha Nonoo
American-based fashion designer Misha Nonoo, who has a fashion line under her own name, has been part of Meghan’s inner circle for years.
She was born in Bahrain, raised in London and educated in Paris.
and are both fans of her line, and in 2013, Misha was named on Forbes' exclusive 30 under 30 list.
She became the first fashion designer to debut a runway collection on Instagram in 2015, and exclusively shared her Fall line on the following year.
In their first joint interview on November 27, 2017 Meghan and Harry revealed they were set up by a female mutual friend.
Although they didn't name names, Misha could be a likely suspect.
The Suits actress even wore Misha Nonoo's Easy 8 Husband Shirt, which costs £139, during her first public appearance with Harry – at the Invictus Games.
Her husband, Mikey Hess, is the heir to the Hess Oil Corporation – valued at £1.45 billion .
Mindy Kaling
The Office actress and producer Mindy Kaling could be a strong contender for the podcast, after founding Kaling International in 2012 and her own sitcom, “The Mindy Project.”;
She also proved their friendship by starring on Meghan’s Netflix show and on her previous podcast, Archetypes, in 2022.
During a interview at the 2025 on January 5 Mindy commented on the show saying it was “probably one of the most glamorous moments of my life.”;
She told Deadline: “I was on maternity leave after having my third child last year when Meghan texted me and said, ‘Hey, do you want to come be in my show and come out to Montecito and have me cook for you?”
Mindy is thought to have a net worth of £26million.
