Markle’s latest venture into television, With Love, Meghan, has faced a wave of criticism, with some reviewers branding it a “masterclass in cringe cooking.” The Netflix show, which premiered on Tuesday, showcases the Duchess of Sussex making bath salts for her makeup artist Daniel Martin and preparing Korean fried chicken with chef Roy Choi. However, rather than being a hit, the show has been met with widespread negative reviews from critics on both sides of the Atlantic.
PR expert labels Meghan the “Duchess of Flops”
Public relations expert Eric Schiffer did not hold back in his assessment of Meghan’s new show. Speaking to Newsweek, Schiffer said, “The show is not a recipe to rebuild her reputation; in fact, it reinforces her as the Duchess of Flops and Ratings Disasters.” He further added that attempting to recast herself as a “modern-day Martha Stewart” comes across as “out of touch elite desperation.”
The show also sparked controversy when Meghan corrected actress Mindy Kaling for addressing her as “Meghan Markle” instead of the Duchess of Sussex. Additionally, she repackaged Trader Joe’s Peanut Butter Pretzel Nuggets into personalised bags, a move that some critics found unnecessary and pretentious.
I don’t normally comment on Harry and Meghan, but this is insufferable. pic.twitter.com/mDVOmWZp6w
— Alex Armstrong (@alexharmstrong) March 4, 2025
Schiffer suggested that Meghan should return to her philanthropic roots rather than attempt to break into the lifestyle and cooking genre. He noted that Meghan and Prince Harry’s best moments have come from genuine acts of charity, which resonate more with the public.
Reviews from the media
Major publications have not been kind to With Love, Meghan. The U.K.’s The Independent awarded it just one star, calling it “queasy and exhausting.” The Guardian described it as “toe-curlingly unlovable TV,” while renowned columnist Marina Hyde labelled it “a ghastly artefact of a particular cultural era that recently met its apocalypse.”
In the US, reviews were just as unforgiving. Variety dismissed the show as “a Montecito ego trip not worth taking.” Given the overwhelmingly negative reception, some critics speculate that this could be the Sussexes’ last major TV project with Netflix.