Katherine Ryan criticizes Duchess Meghan for alleged dishonesty and celebrity associations

Comedian Katherine Ryan has criticized Meghan Markle in public after previously defending her, following the release of her Netflix series, With Love, Meghan.

In a candid statement, Katherine, 41, expressed her change in opinion towards Meghan, admitting, ‘I liked Meghan Markle. I was rooting for Meghan Markle… though she is very Hollywood – even for me – and I don’t like that in people.’

She further added, ‘I see now, and maybe it’s just the projects she’s choosing, it does feel like she has lied about whether she knew who Prince Harry was, and these details about her childhood change and don’t add up.’

Katherine defended the former actress in 2022, commenting on her position in the Royal Family: ‘I love Meghan Markle’s voice and her confidence to challenge the norm and what’s expected of her in that role.’

However, speaking yesterday on the latest episode of her podcast, Telling Everybody Everything, Katherine added: ‘She said on her new Netflix show that they ate TV dinners growing up.

‘But then in an old interview, she was like, “we would eat farm fresh”. Her whole act just seems very manicured and very forced.

‘I’ve known a lot of Hollywood people – they’re not bad people. I don’t think she’s a bad person, but I think she likes cosying up to celebrities and she wants the hundred million dollar deal and she likes the fact that she’s married to a prince. 

‘Of course. But I would rather someone lean into that and be like, oh my God, I used to be on Suits and now I’m married to a prince! I would rather that than this act of: Oh, I’m just so humble.’

Canadian-born Katherine, who lives in London with her three children and civil partner Bobby Kootstra, said she found Meghan’s ‘flower sprinkles’ particularly galling. 

‘I have seen this, I have seen it from chefs – they like to put wild flowers on a meal. And I’m not about it. I also don’t think it constitutes an entire cooking show.’

She added: ‘People are hate-watching it though. Who knows what Netflix are doing? They are smart – whether they love something or hate something, whatever keeps them watching more episodes. 

‘If this was Netflix’s intention, to be like, let’s throw Meghan under the bus where even people who really liked her are turning… not against her, but… she just doesn’t seem to be the kind of gal I would want to be friends with. It’s too manicured, it’s too beige.’

Comedian Katherine is a familiar face on Netflix and has a lot of stand-up specials and shows that are available to stream on the platform. 

Katherine adds of Meghan’s decision to change her surname to Sussex: ‘I think less of women who change their name anyway, to match their husband’s name – unless you have had a chat about it and unless you have approached that decision with equality. 

‘Let’s be honest about why you’re choosing Sussex. It’s a way to hang on to the Duchess of Sussex.’

MailOnline has contacted representatives for Meghan for comment. 

It follows the news that Netflix bosses don’t consider Meghan Markle’s new show a ‘runaway success’ as TV viewing figures revealed that subscribers much prefer her on screen when it is with her husband Prince Harry, MailOnline revealed.

With Love, Meghan brought in barely a quarter of the viewers hooked by the documentary series Harry & Meghan in 2022.

It came as Netflix’s own data showed that With Love, Meghan has been more successful in Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia than in the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom.

‘It’s not a runaway success’, MailOnline’s insider at Netflix has admitted.

The Duchess of Sussex’s eight-part series was watched by 526,000 households in the first five days it was available on Netflix since its release on March 4, according to data gathered by Samba TV.

But by comparison Harry & Meghan drew in 2.1 million households in approximately the same number of days – making it four times more successful.

With Love, Meghan was watched by more people aged between 45 to 54 than any other age group.

In the three Baltic countries of Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia, Meghan’s TV show is number 7 in the Netflix chart, according to the streaming giant’s latest figures.

But in the US, the UK and Canada, the show was at number 10 yesterday.

In most other countries it had dropped out of the top ten completely, if it had been there at all.