Venus Williams has spent decades commanding attention on tennis courts, in boardrooms, and on fashion runways. But on May 4, 2026, she stepped onto the Met Gala carpet not just as a style icon or athletic legend — but as a newlywed co-chair, with her husband Andrea Preti by her side, in what may be her most talked-about public appearance in years. For anyone searching "Venus Williams husband" right now, here's everything you need to know about the man she married, how their relationship unfolded, and why the world is paying attention this week.
Who Is Andrea Preti? Venus Williams' Husband Explained
Andrea Preti is not a household name in American sports or entertainment — at least not yet. The 37-year-old Italian is a model, actor, and restauranteur whose career has taken him through the high-fashion corridors of Europe and into the restaurant world. It's a profile that makes sense given how he and Venus first connected: at Milan Fashion Week, where both operate comfortably in overlapping spheres of style, culture, and celebrity.
Preti's modeling work has placed him within elite fashion circles, while his ventures in the restaurant industry suggest an entrepreneurial streak that mirrors Venus's own well-documented business ambitions. Williams has long been more than a tennis player — she founded her interior design firm V Starr and her activewear brand EleVen, making her a serial entrepreneur in her own right. In that sense, Preti fits a pattern: Venus Williams does not surround herself with people who are not building something.
At 37, Preti is eight years younger than Venus, who is 45. The age gap has drawn some commentary, but it's hardly unusual in celebrity relationships, and neither Williams nor Preti has given it much airtime. What they have given airtime to is each other — showing up together at high-profile events and presenting a united, glamorous front to the world. For more context on who Andrea Preti is, early coverage has begun piecing together his background and career trajectory.
The Wedding: A Lavish Florida Ceremony in December 2025
Venus Williams and Andrea Preti married in December 2025 in what was described as a lavish Florida wedding. The ceremony was relatively private by celebrity standards — there was no pre-wedding media circus, no exclusive magazine deal announced in advance, no orchestrated paparazzi moment. The couple's discretion through their courtship meant that, for many fans, the marriage came as a genuine surprise.
Venus Williams has been notably private about her romantic life for most of her career. She and golfer Hank Kuehne dated in the early 2000s, and she had a years-long relationship with Cuban model Elio Pis that ended around 2016. There were subsequent reports of dating, but nothing that led to public commitment — until Preti. The Florida wedding marked the first time Venus Williams has been married, a milestone that, at 45, carries a particular weight given how central her tennis career and business life have been to her public identity.
The decision to marry in Florida is fitting. Williams grew up in Palm Beach Gardens and has deep roots in the state. Her father Richard Williams, who famously coached both Venus and Serena to tennis dominance, raised the family there. Returning to Florida for her wedding is less a coincidence than a homecoming.
Met Gala 2026: Venus Williams as Co-Chair — and the Gown That Stopped Traffic
The 2026 Met Gala, themed 'Fashion Is Art' (also referred to as 'Costume Art'), was always going to be an event where Venus Williams would stand out. But her role this year elevated her beyond celebrity guest: she served as a co-chair alongside Beyoncé and Nicole Kidman, a triumvirate of women who collectively represent music, film, and sport at their absolute apex.
For the occasion, Venus wore a sparkling black Swarovski gown that commanded every camera in its vicinity. The dress — encrusted in crystals that caught light from every angle — was a statement piece entirely aligned with a theme centered on fashion as artistic expression. This was Venus Williams' sixth appearance at the Met Gala, and by most accounts, one of her most impactful. Standing beside Preti on the carpet, the couple presented the kind of image that fashion and entertainment media can't resist: two tall, striking people clearly comfortable in high-visibility spaces.
The reaction to Venus's crystal-draped gown was immediate. The Swarovski partnership made sense — the Austrian crystal brand has dressed celebrities for decades, and its stones are engineered for exactly this kind of theatrical, high-exposure moment. For a Met Gala co-chair, anything less than show-stopping would have been a missed opportunity. Venus Williams did not miss.
If you want to channel the crystal-encrusted aesthetic Venus brought to the carpet, Swarovski crystal embellished evening gowns are widely available for formal occasions.
The Pre-Gala Circuit: Jeff Bezos, White Mules, and the New Normal
The night before the Met Gala itself, Venus and Andrea were already in circulation. On May 3, 2026, the couple attended a pre-Met Gala party hosted by Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Bezos at their New York City residence. The Bezos pre-party has become one of the most exclusive warm-up events in the Met Gala weekend calendar, drawing the kind of A-list roster that makes even the most jaded entertainment reporters pay attention.
For that appearance, Venus opted for a notably different aesthetic than her red-carpet Swarovski moment. She was spotted in white mules — taking the crisp white shoe trend to the pre-party in a more relaxed but still fashion-forward look. The shoes were identified as possibly Givenchy Lookbook White Leather Slide Heels — a clean, minimal choice that contrasted sharply with the full crystal drama to follow the next night.
The two-night appearance arc — pre-party then main event — signals something about where Venus and Andrea are as a couple right now. They're not easing into public life together; they're stepping into the center of it. The Bezos party and the Met Gala co-chair role are not the social calendar of a couple navigating early relationship uncertainty. This is a couple that has found its footing and is moving with confidence.
Venus Williams' Career and Health: Context That Makes This Moment Meaningful
To understand why Venus Williams' new chapter feels significant, it helps to understand the journey that preceded it. Williams has been one of the most decorated tennis players in history — seven Grand Slam singles titles, five Wimbledon championships, four Olympic gold medals, and a career that has stretched across three decades. She has competed at the highest level since the mid-1990s, achieving feats that most athletes in any sport never approach.
But her career has also been defined by obstacles that would have ended most athletic careers long before 45. In 2011, Williams was diagnosed with Sjögren's syndrome, a chronic autoimmune disease that causes fatigue and joint pain — two conditions that are particularly brutal for a professional tennis player. She has since also been open about battling adenomyosis, a painful uterine condition. Neither diagnosis has prompted retirement. As of 2026, Venus has not indicated any plans to step away from tennis, a testament to both her physical resilience and her psychological relationship with the sport.
This context matters when we consider her marriage to Preti. Venus Williams built her life around a singular, consuming career — and managed that career while managing serious health challenges. Finding a partner, committing to marriage at 45, and stepping into co-chair roles at global cultural events represents a fullness of life that goes beyond any single achievement on the court.
For fans following her athletic career alongside her personal story, it's worth noting the ongoing strength in women's tennis — including Daria Kasatkina's recent Catalonia Open win, a reminder that the sport Venus helped elevate continues to produce remarkable moments.
What Venus and Andrea's Public Emergence Tells Us About Celebrity Relationships in 2026
There's an observable shift in how celebrities, particularly athletes, approach their romantic lives publicly. For years, the dominant model was either full exposure (the Instagram-documented relationship) or complete privacy (the relationship revealed only when it ended). Venus Williams has long operated closer to the private end of that spectrum.
Her emergence with Preti — at Jeff Bezos' party, on the Met Gala carpet, in co-chair photos that will circulate for weeks — suggests a deliberate choice to step into the light together. It's a statement of stability, of comfort, and perhaps of identity. At 45, with a career as decorated as hers, Venus Williams doesn't need a partner to elevate her profile. Preti's presence at these events is not a PR strategy. It reads as something simpler: a person she married who she wants to bring into her world.
The crystal-covered Met Gala moment will anchor the public narrative for now, but the more telling image may be the two of them at the Bezos pre-party — dressed for a night out, not a carpet, simply attending an exclusive social event as a married couple. That's the texture of a real relationship, not a managed image.
Analysis: Why Venus Williams' Marriage Matters Beyond the Headlines
Venus Williams has spent her entire adult life redefining what a Black woman tennis player could be — in terms of power, style, business acumen, longevity, and cultural influence. Her marriage to Andrea Preti adds another dimension to that story, but it's important not to reduce it to a celebrity footnote.
The timing is significant. Venus is 45, has managed a career-threatening autoimmune diagnosis for over a decade, has built multiple successful businesses, and has watched her sister Serena — long her closest competitor and collaborator — retire from tennis and start a family. Venus's path has been her own, and her marriage at this stage of life is consistent with that independence. She did not rush toward convention; she arrived here on her own terms, with a partner she met in a world she already inhabited.
Preti, as a model, actor, and restauranteur with European roots and fashion-week connections, is also not an accidental fit. Venus Williams has always been as comfortable in fashion contexts as in athletic ones — she appeared at the Met Gala five times before this year, collaborated with designers, and built a fashion-forward brand identity that most athletes never develop. Meeting Preti at Milan Fashion Week was not random. It happened in a space where Venus already belonged.
For sports fans interested in the broader landscape of women's athletic careers and personal lives, the Indiana Fever's dominant 2026 preseason is another reminder that women athletes are increasingly defining their careers — and their lives — on their own terms.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who did Venus Williams marry?
Venus Williams married Andrea Preti, a 37-year-old Italian model, actor, and restauranteur, in a lavish Florida wedding in December 2025. The two met at Milan Fashion Week.
How old is Andrea Preti?
Andrea Preti is 37 years old, making him eight years younger than Venus Williams, who is 45.
Is Venus Williams retired from tennis?
No. As of 2026, Venus Williams has not retired from professional tennis. Despite battling Sjögren's syndrome and adenomyosis, she has not indicated plans to step away from the sport.
What did Venus Williams wear to the 2026 Met Gala?
Venus Williams wore a sparkling black Swarovski crystal-embellished gown to the 2026 Met Gala, where she served as co-chair alongside Beyoncé and Nicole Kidman. The event's theme was 'Fashion Is Art.'
How many times has Venus Williams attended the Met Gala?
The 2026 Met Gala marks Venus Williams' sixth appearance at the event. This year, she attended as a co-chair rather than as a standard guest, a significant elevation in her role at one of fashion's most prestigious annual events.
Where did Venus Williams and Andrea Preti meet?
Venus Williams and Andrea Preti met at Milan Fashion Week. The exact year of their first meeting has not been publicly confirmed, but their December 2025 marriage suggests the relationship developed over a meaningful period of courtship.
Conclusion: A New Chapter, Written on Venus Williams' Terms
The story of Venus Williams and Andrea Preti is, at its core, a story about what comes next — for an athlete who has already achieved more than most could dream of, and who is choosing to step into a new kind of public life without sacrificing the privacy or autonomy she has always protected. Their appearance together at the 2026 Met Gala, with Venus serving as co-chair in a Swarovski crystal gown that lit up every camera on the carpet, was a declaration: this is not a quiet chapter. This is Venus Williams, in full.
Preti remains something of a mystery to American audiences — that will change as the couple continues to appear together at events of this magnitude. What's already clear is that he moves through fashion and culture with ease, that he and Venus share aesthetic and entrepreneurial sensibilities, and that their relationship survived the scrutiny that comes with marrying one of the most recognizable athletes of the past 30 years. For now, the world is watching — and the couple seems entirely unbothered by that fact.
