After months of anticipation, Meghan Markle’s Netflix series is finally here and receiving lukewarm reviews from several royal experts.
The Duchess of Sussex’s eight-episode lifestyle series, “With Love, Meghan,” became available for streaming on March 4. It was originally scheduled to premiere in January but was delayed due to the Los Angeles fires.
Several royal experts who watched the series told Fox News Digital that the “Suits” alum appears inauthentic on screen as she attempts to take on the role of relatable lifestyle guru.
MEGHAN MARKLE ADMITS TO MAKING ‘MISTAKES’ IN LAUNCHING AS EVER LIFESTYLE BRAND
“This isn’t innovative, it’s backwards,” said Kinsey Schofield, host of the “To Di For Daily” podcast, about Markle’s how-tos. “The projects themselves aren’t original. It lacks authenticity. It’s aesthetically pleasing but not where the content world is at right now. It’s too controlled. Too glossy. Too produced.”
British broadcaster and photographer Helena Chard said the opening shot is reminiscent of “Gardeners’ World,” a longstanding series in the UK that brings “gardening ideas to life.” Still, she said that 20 minutes in, the series “appears mundane and lacks wow factor.”
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“Meghan seems eager to play the altruistic, kind soul, but it is a tad smarmy,” she claimed. “My toes are curling… This is so cringey and not fun at all. It feels too staged, and the tips and tricks are far too basic… Meghan comes across as a modern Stepford Wife.”
According to the streaming giant, the show is not about a quest for perfection, but more about finding joy in the little things. As friends stop by a lush Montecito, California, estate, the mother of two shares her tips and tricks on gardening, cooking and hosting, among others.
The former American actress told People magazine that her series is not a traditional “stand and stir” format, where audiences learn step-by-step instructions as they follow along.
“It feels as though we’re just spending time together, which is what it ended up being,” she explained to the outlet. “I’d make a recipe and say, ‘Everyone try this,’ and there are certain dishes where you just watch everyone flock in. I’d say, ‘We’ve run out of spoons!’ It ended up feeling so communal, and that’s the spirit of the show.”
In “With Love, Meghan,” there is no mention of the British royal family, a sigh of relief for the royal experts. Markle and her husband, Prince Harry, stepped back as senior royals in 2020 and moved to California.
In the first episode, she shows a picture of her lemon and elderflower wedding cake while she is baking one that also features lemon.
Audiences learn more about Markle’s past life in Canada while she was filming “Suits,” as well as the “joy” she gets from being a hands-on parent. As she makes skillet pasta, a frittata using farm-fresh eggs and mint tea, she peppers in lines like, “It’s like the Beyoncé song. ‘COZY,’” – referring to her pasta dish – and “Now we’re talking turkey.”
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are raising their two young children in the wealthy, coastal city of Montecito.
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UK royal correspondent Neil Sean told Fox News Digital he found it difficult to believe that Markle applies her tutorials at home. In the series, she encourages audiences to make a rainbow-shaped fruit arrangement, fun-shaped sandwiches and a balloon arch for a children’s tea party.
“Do I honestly believe that she does all of this for the invisible children, who are Archie and Lili?” he questioned. “The whole point of the show is being relatable… You know it’s not her kitchen because she’s hesitant to look for things and, more importantly, she doesn’t look at home which of course it isn’t.”
“The weirdest thing is that even if you liked what she was making, there’s no real direction,” said Sean. “… What did Netflix feel they were going to get from this?”
Chard agreed, claiming viewers would be more encouraged to follow along if they were given how-to steps.
Schofield noted that Markle faces fierce competition in the lifestyle space.
“Netflix wants people 18 to 39,” she explained. “They have 70 million monthly users on its most popular tier. Meanwhile, TikTok boasts over 1 billion monthly active users with the majority of TikTok users between 18 and 34. Key demo. TikTok is full of short, raw videos, primarily shot on mobile devices.”
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“This is Meghan and an entire production crew, in full glam, taking TikTok content or a Pinterest board and expanding it into longer-form content to a demographic that’s developed a shorter attention span thanks to TikTok brain,” she added.
One thing audiences will get is a sneak peek at Markle’s upcoming products. The former American actress recently announced on Instagram that her lifestyle brand was renamed to As Ever and has Netflix as a partner.
There are plenty of fruit preserves spread all around and “flower sprinkles” that she uses to decorate her dishes. She also shows how candles can be made with beeswax. In the first episode, Markle, in beekeeping gear, showcases her honey.
There is always room for a cookbook if she chooses to write one.
Similar to how Ina Garten tells her viewers “store bought is fine,” Markle also notes that you can easily buy what you need to bring her projects to life without emptying your wallet. Still, Schofield was not convinced.
“I feel like I’m watching the Home Shopping Network,” she said. “Meghan just tried to sell me a balloon blower upper and balloon garland. It’s like the cast of ‘Southern Charm’ trying to sell me Spanx on Amazon Live.”
Sean claimed that Markle’s show struggles to make a mark.
“… There’s nothing new in the world of cookery,” he said. “Meghan has picked one of the hardest things to try and conquer. But remember, she’s not an influencer in her own words… The standout spot for me would be… it was beautifully shot, well-edited and fast-paced. But if you feel you’ve seen it all before, well then, you’ve already watched Pamela Anderson’s show… Who inspired who?”
For Schofield, “With Love, Meghan” appears more like “a PR exercise to change public perception.”
“She’s been labeled a bully for the last four years – most recently in the January issue of Vanity Fair,” said Schofield. “This show needs to be a success for her professional reputation.
“[The Duke and Duchess of Sussex] have failed too many times in front of the world. Meghan has only had one commercial success for Netflix. ‘Heart of Invictus’ and ‘Live to Lead’ bombed. ‘Polo,’ not a success. ‘Pearl’ was canceled before it went into production.”
“… One thing she says is, ‘The joy of hosting for me is surprising people with moments that let them know I was really thinking of their whole experience from morning to evening.’ This is an example of Meghan trying to tell us she’s not the palace bully,” Schofield claimed.
“I think it’s interesting that she speaks to production staff off-camera versus speaking directly to the viewer. I wonder if that is also a strategy to dismiss the ‘dictator in high heels’ stories. ‘Look, I get along with my crew!’”
One thing the experts do agree on is that viewers, fans or not, will be tuning in. Whether Markle does become a successful lifestyle influencer remains to be seen.
“Meghan believes there will be a second series because she’s garnered so much worldwide interest so far,” claimed Sean. “Netflix is waiting to see the final returns.”
Schofield claimed “Meghan hasn’t paid her dues in this [lifestyle] space,” at least not yet.
“She’s not Martha Stewart,” said Schofield. She compliments herself constantly. Meghan Markle’s biggest fan is Meghan Markle.
“If you like Meghan Markle… you will appreciate this access to her. If you dislike Meghan Markle… this will not change your opinion.”
