Meghan Markle's latest venture, a lifestyle series titled "With Love, Meghan," is causing quite a stir, serving up what some critics call a masterclass in tone-deafness.
In the series’ trailer, Meghan is depicted arranging flowers, preparing meals, and even tending to a beehive. While these activities may seem charming to some, others find the premise laughably out of touch. After all, what could be less relatable during times of global strife than a former royal demonstrating how to manage a personal beehive?
“I’ve always loved taking something pretty ordinary and elevating it,” Meghan says in the trailer, adding, “Surprising people with moments that let them know I was really thinking of them.” The sentiment may sound sweet, but skeptics argue that Meghan’s focus seems more about elevating her own image rather than delivering meaningful inspiration. The show’s aspirational tone, juxtaposed with real-world struggles like economic hardship and rising global tensions, feels, to many, like a glaring disconnect.
Enter Meghan McCain, who minced no words in her critique. She described the series as a polished yet hollow attempt at lifestyle influencing, questioning its timing and relevance. In her view, the world doesn’t need another highly curated, superficial production from someone who famously walked away from royal duties in favor of the California influencer life. McCain suggested that Markle’s platform could be put to far better use—for instance, addressing food insecurity by championing fresh food initiatives in underserved communities. Instead, Markle opts for beekeeping and flower arrangement tips that seem trivial by comparison.
Meanwhile, Jan Moir of the Daily Mail delivered her trademark biting commentary, declaring that "With Love, Meghan" represents the Duchess's last-ditch effort for relevance. Moir’s scathing review likened the show to a peculiar hybrid of a tampon commercial and a grandiose mission statement, a description dripping with sarcasm and disdain. According to Moir, Markle’s promises of world-changing endeavors under the Archewell banner have so far amounted to little more than vanity projects dressed up as altruism. Her latest foray into domesticity seems yet another attempt to profit off the royal connections she ostensibly renounced.
Adding to the critique, Markle’s penchant for portraying herself as a culinary expert comes under fire. Observers recall that her earlier foodie persona was built, in part, on recipes attributed to a former chef boyfriend in Toronto. The authenticity of her domestic goddess act has long been questioned, and the regal sheen she now applies only makes it feel more contrived. Her infamous 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey, which many see as a turning point in the public’s perception of her, continues to loom large. In that interview, Markle painted a picture of emotional depth and vulnerability, but her current focus on trivial domestic pursuits leaves some questioning the sincerity of her earlier revelations.
In the end, "With Love, Meghan" may go down as another misstep in Markle’s tumultuous post-royal career. What could have been an opportunity to inspire genuine connection and social impact instead risks becoming a cautionary tale about the perils of superficiality. Critics liken the spectacle to a slow-motion car crash—compelling to watch, perhaps, but for all the wrong reasons.
