Meghan Markle’s new Netflix show might be called With Love, Meghan, but there doesn’t seem to be much love for it out there.
People have been falling over themselves to brand the program, in which she shares her tips on hosting, gardening, and cooking, as inauthentic. But let’s be honest, people were primed to hate the show before it even aired—she was never going to win in the minds of those who don’t like her.
Since the Duchess of Sussex married Prince Harry in 2018, she has had a marmite effect on the public. People either view her as a breath of fresh air to the Royal Family or an interloper who stole her husband away to the States.
In the minds of her critics, she should simply fade away into the background and most definitely not put herself centerstage. The British public is used to the Royals attending shows, not starring in them. We’ve become accustomed to them quietly shaking hands and making polite small talk, not giving advice and lifestyle tips.
But Markle was a public figure and a successful actress before her marriage, so having her own TV show is a much more natural move for her. And I imagine the Royal duties she carried out with Harry before they left the U.K. felt far more inauthentic for her than the work she is doing now.
When I watched With Love, Meghan, I saw the complete opposite of inauthenticity. I saw her showing people her true interests and passions in a fun, light-hearted way.
She used to share content on this type of stuff long before she became a Royal, so it’s clear that we’re getting a glimpse into what makes her tick. In fact, it is likely that Markle has always had aspirations to become some sort of lifestyle guru.
In 2014, two years before she even met Harry, she began her own lifestyle website known as The Tig. Named after the Italian wine Tignanello, she used the blog to share her passion for travel, cooking, fashion, and eating out.
While The Tig was a passion project rather than her career, she managed to attract 70,000 subscribers before she shut down the site when she became engaged to Harry. Her latest show seems to be a return—the main difference is that her marriage has made her a household name all over the world.
Her choice of partner means there is now a powerful spotlight on her every move and everything she does and says is scrutinized and open for criticism. But does that mean she shouldn’t say what she wants to? Absolutely not.
Through With Love, Meghan, she’s letting the public in on who she really is. OK, so she might not be showing off her own home, but did we really expect her to let the cameras into her private space in Montecito, knowing the security risks that would involve?
I can see that some people might feel the content is a little tone-deaf when so many people are struggling to cope with the rising cost of living. But you could also argue that this kind of fluffy, feel-good lifestyle content offers people a welcome escape from what is probably the fastest-moving news cycle any of us have ever known.
One thing I always tell clients is that they’ll repel people as well as attract them, and that’s OK. Not everyone will agree with you or like what you do or say, but that isn’t a reason to stay silent. You can’t appeal to everyone, so focus on what you want to say and who you want to reach and ignore the rest of the noise.
Markle is sharing the things that truly excite her, and instead of celebrating that, she’s torn down once again. Authenticity isn’t about fitting into what others expect. It’s about being true to yourself, whether people like it or not.
And Markle, despite the endless backlash, keeps showing up as herself. That takes real strength, and I applaud her.