According to a royal expert, the Duchess of Sussex’s new Netflix series is being described as ‘an exercise in celebrity at its most superficial’. After the release of the first trailer for With Love, Meghan, criticism about the show’s focus on celebrity status has emerged.
Meghan Markle, aged 43, expressed her excitement in sharing a sneak peek of the highly anticipated lifestyle program with her followers on Instagram, just before its scheduled launch date on January 15.
The initial trailer for the series showcases the Duchess engaging in activities such as cooking in a Montecito kitchen, harvesting produce from her garden, and interacting with well-known personalities like Mindy Kaling. Additionally, the trailer features The Lovin’ Spoonful’s song “Do You Believe in Magic” playing in the background.
But for royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams, the clip was ‘Disneyfied’ and ‘all about’ Meghan. He noted how, had the mother-of-two stayed as a senior member of the Royal Family, she could’ve ‘helped in a meaningful way’.
Meghan McCain, daughter of late Republican presidential candidate John McCain, also joined in the backlash and described the video as ‘utterly tone-deaf’ and the reason ‘why the world doesn’t like you’.
Viewers on X appeared to agree with the their thoughts, with some taking to the social media platform to call the former actress ‘entitled’ for cooking meals that ‘nobody can afford right now’.
Speaking to MailOnline, Mr Fitzwilliams said: ‘When watching the trailer for her series on cookery, I noted that Meghan says she’s always liked taking something that was pretty ordinary and elevating it.
‘She could have been referring to herself, if she had stayed as a senior working royal. It could all have been so very different.
‘Whatever its faults, and there is no doubt she was deeply unhappy as a royal as Harry was, being a senior working member of the British royal family does give you an opportunity to do good for others which is unique.
‘Meghan and Harry could have carved out a special role, especially in the Commonwealth, which is what Queen Elizabeth intended.
‘It would certainly have meant sacrifice, but they could have helped others in a meaningful way by supporting charitable causes. Instead they caused a royal rift and Harry, reduced to a cameo role in this trailer, has lost so much which he valued.’
He added: ‘Meghan was in her element in her blog The Tig, which she gave up before her marriage and which was a success. This looks so saccharine, her dog summed it up very well by dozing off.
‘The intrusive music, Lovin’ Spoonful’s “Do You Believe in Magic” is so noisy it might make viewers turn off what, judging by the trailer, is an exercise in celebrity at its most superficial.
‘It’s clearly all about “me, me, me”. To have the writer and actress Mindy Kaling, when served with sponge cake, blurt out “this is probably one of the most glamorous moments of my life” sets the tone wonderfully well.
‘The main trouble with it is that it’s all so cosy and so gushing. I agree with Meghan. it is not in the pursuit of perfection, it all looks gruesomely Disneyfied to me.
‘“Everyone is invited” it says, but how many save the fans will stay the course? Their series Heart of Invictus and Polo failed to draw in the viewers Netflix needs. Will this?’
Not long after Meghan posted news of her Netflix series on Instagram, some royal fans seemed to issue the same complaint: ‘This looks terrible’.
As the comments have been turned off on her Instagram post, fans took to X to share their hesitation about the upcoming Netflix series.
Meghan McCain, daughter of late Republican presidential candidate John McCain, joined in the backlash against the Duchess, calling her ‘tonedeaf’.
She wrote on X: ‘I was originally a Meghan Markle supporter, I thought she was cool, stylish and refreshing. Like the rest of the world my opinion changed when she disrespected the royal family.
‘Now that she wants to be American again instead of British aristocracy what she seems to forget is Americans want real, raw, uncensored. All of this even in the trailer is highly curated, produced and out of touch.
‘There have been 2 terror attacks in 2 days, major wars raging and Americans can’t pay for groceries. We are a country in rage, uncertainty and intensity right now. This concept is ill advised.
‘I would have told her to do a show helping bring fresh food to food deserts in low income neighborhoods. Do something to help people instead of your ego. This is why the world doesn’t like you, nothing else. Just completely and utterly tone deaf to the moment.’
‘Uh no thanks,’ one user put rather bluntly. Another wrote on the social media platform: ‘Oh god this looks terrible.’
A third commented: ‘Hard pass’ with a laughing face emoji. ‘Rather watch paint dry’, someone else added.
Others described the Duchess as a ‘privileged individual’ for making food that ‘nobody can afford right now’.
One particularly disgruntled X user said: ‘Who is the target audience?? Women with tons of money and time on their hands making extremely fussy treats and crafts?
‘Flowers in ice cubes are interesting but about .0001% of the population would make this. Once. Incredibly entitled,’ she added.
While some royal fans questioned the point of the series and slammed Meghan’s lack of self-awareness, others could not hide their excitement.
Some even went as far to say that the announcement had ‘made their day’.
‘We are being fed so much since the New Year,’ one said. ‘Such great news! I cannot wait to watch Meghan’s cooking and gardening / lifetime show!’
The same Sussex fan added that they could not wait ‘for subsequent seasons’ of the show.
‘You have made my day,’ another person wrote on the social media platform. ‘2025 can only get better.’
One superfan said they would be re-subscribing to Netflix thanks to Meghan’s new series.
Describing the series in an official synopsis, Netflix says: ‘In With Love, Meghan, we join Meghan in the kitchen, garden — and even at the beehive — as she prepares to host friends both old and new.
‘Sharing some of her favourite tips and tricks for cooking, gardening, crafting, and more, Meghan reveals how even the most minute details can help add beauty to our lives and, most importantly, help bring people together.
‘Whether it’s preparing take-home gifts for guests or adding a sprinkle of edible flowers to breakfast, it’s truly the thought that counts.’
Speaking in the trailer, Meghan says: ‘I’ve always loved taking something pretty ordinary and elevating it, surprising people with moments that let them know I was really thinking of them.
‘I’m going to share some little tips and tricks and how you incorporate these practices every day.
‘This is about connecting with friends… We’re not in the pursuit of perfection we’re in the pursuit of joy.’
The Duchess is known to have many star-studded friends; one of whom is The Office writer Mindy Kaling.
Appearing in a snippet in the trailer, Kaling, who is being served up a piece of Victoria Sponge cake, says: ‘What! This is probably one of the most glamorous moments of my life.’
Elsewhere, Meghan speaks about ‘making new friends’ and learning new skills – such as beekeeping.
In each episode, Meghan invites friends old and new to roll up their sleeves and join her in the kitchen, or garden, as they share candid conversations and top tips.
As well as Mindy – who previously appeared on the Duchess’s podcast Archetypes – Prince Harry and chefs Roy Choi and Alice Waters also make appearances.
Meghan also welcomes some of her closest friends, from Suits co-star Abigail Spencer to her ‘sister’ and ‘fellow polo wife’, Delfina Blaquier, wife to the Duke of Sussex’s pal Nacho Figueras.
Professional polo player Nacho was the first of the Figueras family to feature in a Netflix series from the Sussexes, after starring in Netflix’s Harry & Meghan, as well as the Duke’s Polo show.
Meghan’s make-up artist Daniel Martin, who is often described as the mother-of-two’s best friend, also featured in the trailer for the Duchess’ new programme.
Daniel is believed to have known Meghan for over a decade, having met her while the former actress worked on Suits.
The pair then kept in touch and while working on her former blog The Tig, Meghan asked Daniel to give her a helping hand.
He has remained in contact with the Duchess throughout her life in the royal family and was by Meghan’s side on her wedding day as he perfected her make-up.
The series also features celebrated literary agent Jennifer Rudolph Walsh and Harry and Meghan’s multi-millionaire neighbour Vicky Tsai, who sold her beauty brand Tatcha to Unilever in 2019 for a reported $500million.
They’re joined on the show by Tracy Robbins. Mrs Robbins and her husband Paramount boss Brian Robbins are friends with the Sussexes and invited them to the Bob Marley film premiere in Jamaica in January.
Meghan’s best friend Kelly McKee Zajfen, co-founder of Alliance of Moms, is also included on the guestlist for the series.
Kelly and Meghan first met through the Duchess’ ex-husband, Trevor Engelson, who is friends with the former model’s entertainment lawyer husband.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have formed a vital part of Kelly and her husband Julian’s support network following Kelly’s son George’s death aged just nine in July 2022 after being found unresponsive in their family home.
Kelly, who co-founded Alliance of Moms, a non-profit that supports pregnant and parenting teens in the foster care system, praised Harry and Meghan for being a ‘guiding light’ following the tragic death of her son.
Meghan’s announcement comes a day after the Duchess dramatically returned to Instagram with a video of her laughing on the beach near Montecito.
The Duchess of Sussex, 43, shared her first clip on the Instagram account, simply named ‘@meghan’.
Prince Harry was behind the camera of the new video, which sparked a frenzy online, as tens of thousands of people followed it in a matter of minutes, ballooning the account from 115,000 fans to almost 170,000.
It has long been rumoured the profile belonged to her after the account was set up back in June, 2022, but remained empty.
She then teased fans again in 2023 when she declared she was ‘getting back on Instagram’.
Now the mother-of-two has confirmed the profile is hers, by posting a clip walking towards the shoreline at the beach in California, where she lives with Prince Harry, and children Archie, five, and Lilibet, three.
