What should’ve been a heartwarming reality show focused on Meghan Markle’s love for cooking, gardening, and hosting, has turned into a recipe of disaster when it comes to her reputation.
With Love, Meghan released on Netflix just yesterday (March 4), but already, the brutally honest reviews have arrived, a little over 24 hours since the show’s drop.
Highlights
- Meghan Markle's show, 'With Love, Meghan,' quickly received harsh criticism.
- Her half-brother called the show 'bland' and 'generic.'
- A PR expert labeled Meghan as the 'Duchess of Flops,' suggesting a return to charity work.
From the way the Duchess of Sussex cooks her pasta to discussions about her own childhood, it seems like the 43-year-old couldn’t get a word in without getting slammed.
With Love, Meghan was brutally torn apart by critics and reviewers
Image credits: Michael Buckner/Getty Images
Even her own estranged half-brother, Thomas Markle Jr., joined in on the hate train, calling the eight episodes “bland” and “generic” on the UK’s TalkTV on Tuesday.
Though Meghan said she had always grown up “watching cooking shows” as well as “cooking all the time,” Thomas strongly disagreed, adding that while her mother “was a great cook,” the Duchess “didn’t cook anything for anybody ever growing up.”
He also hit back on the Suits alum for calling her life “poor and underprivileged” in the past.
“We weren’t poor. She didn’t have to rub those two nickels together at Sizzler’s salad bar,” he said.
Image credits: Netflix/Tudum
Another particular moment of the show stood out for viewers, and it centered around both Meghan and Mindy Kaling.
When the comedian referred to the mother-of-two by her first name, she gave a playful clapback and replied, “It’s so funny too that you keep saying Meghan Markle. You know I’m Sussex now.”
After a brief pause, the Duchess continued on.
“You have kids and you go, ‘No, I should share my name with my children. I didn’t know how meaningful it would be to me, but it just means so much to go, ‘This is our family name, our little family name.’”
Every conversation Meghan had seemed to stand out — and not in a good way
Image credits: Netflix
Image credits: Netflix
The short clip was posted on X by Alex Armstrong, a presenter on GB News, who paired the video with, “I don’t normally comment on Harry and Meghan, but this is insufferable.”
One reply read, “Good grief, I have not seen it or plan to but just these clips are awful. Also, why would she say that to Mindy about her name? It must grate her that she is referred to on social media as Meghan Markle so this was her way to correct the world?”
The discourse doesn’t stop there, however.
Even her own half-brother labeled the entire show as "bland" and "generic"
Image credits: Netflix/Tudum
As a PR expert told Newsweek, Meghan’s attempt at creating a wholesome TV show backfired entirely, and all she’s managed to do is look like the “Duchess of Flops.”
Eric Schiffer, chair of Reputation Management Consultants, went into more detail when asked by the outlet.
“The show is not a recipe to rebuild her reputation; in fact, it reenforces her as the Duchess of Flops and Rating Disasters,” he explained. “I don’t think this builds her back or expands her audience in a meaningful way at all. To me, this is not the project for her to start a masterclass in cringe cooking.”
He continued, “For her to think she’s going to somehow recast herself as a modern day Martha Stewart screams, ‘out of touch elite desperation.’”
As a PR expert dissected the series, he noted that perhaps straying away from charity work wasn't the wisest choice
Image credits: Netflix/Tudum
Image credits: Netflix/Tudum
Instead, Schiffer suggested that going back to charity work — something Meghan was well familiar with, even before she met Prince Harry — may be the best course of action.
“Where they were the best was when they focused on organic, authentic acts to support causes that were meaningful to the next generation of the planet,” he claimed.
“Where they have gone wrong is when they tried to merchandise and overcommit to contracts where they’re forced to put out content which is subpar.”
Image credits: Netflix
These unforgiving reviews have only continued across various media outlets, regarding said “subpar” content. From The Independent to The Guardian, columnists are holding nothing back as they tear the show to pieces.
A review from the latter said, “Kiss the Netflix deal goodbye! With Love, Meghan is so pointless it might be the Sussexes’ last TV show.”
Every little thing Meghan did or said seemed to be frowned upon
