Meghan Markle’s Netflix Cooking and Lifestyle Show Panned by Critics, Fails to Crack Top 300.

Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, has faced a torrent of criticism following the release of her Netflix cooking and lifestyle series, With Love, Meghan, which premiered on March 4, 2025. The show, intended as a celebration of cooking, gardening, entertaining, and friendship, was met with scathing reviews from critics and failed to resonate with audiences, ranking a dismal 383rd on Netflix’s global viewership charts with just 5.3 million views in the first half of 2025. Adding to the controversy, a royal expert has branded the decision to film a second season before the first even aired as “idiotic,” highlighting strategic missteps in the production process. This article delves into the show’s reception, the reasons behind its lackluster performance, and the broader implications for Meghan’s media ventures.

A High-Profile Launch with High Expectations

With Love, Meghan was a highly anticipated project, marking Meghan’s return to the spotlight as a lifestyle influencer. Produced under the $100 million multi-year deal signed by Meghan and Prince Harry with Netflix in 2020, the series was positioned as a reimagining of lifestyle programming, blending practical how-to guides with candid conversations. Filmed in a luxurious Montecito, California estate—though notably not the Sussexes’ own home—the show featured Meghan sharing her favorite recipes, hosting tips, and crafting ideas alongside celebrity guests like Mindy Kaling, Abigail Spencer, Roy Choi, and Alice Waters.

The series was delayed from its original January 2025 release due to devastating Los Angeles wildfires, a decision made at Meghan’s request with Netflix’s support, framing the show as a “heartfelt tribute to the beauty of Southern California.” Meghan promoted the series enthusiastically on her newly launched Instagram account, expressing excitement about sharing her passion for food and hospitality. The show tied into her lifestyle brand, As Ever, which launched shortly after the series and focuses on products like jams, honeys, and flower sprinkles. However, despite the hype and Meghan’s personal investment, With Love, Meghan failed to live up to expectations.

Critical Backlash: “Gormless,” “Narcissistic,” and “Out of Touch”

The critical response to With Love, Meghan was overwhelmingly negative, with reviewers across the United States and United Kingdom slamming the series for its lack of authenticity and relatability. The show scored a mere 33% on Rotten Tomatoes’ Tomatometer, a stark contrast to the commercial success of the Sussexes’ earlier docuseries, Harry & Meghan, which topped Netflix charts despite mixed reviews. Critics described With Love, Meghan as a “gormless lifestyle filler” (The Guardian), an “exercise in narcissism” (The Telegraph), and a “painfully defensive” production (Vulture). Time magazine, which once named Meghan and Harry among the 100 most influential people, called the show “a royal primer on entertaining that couldn’t be more boring.”

A recurring critique was the show’s perceived inauthenticity. Filming in a rented Montecito estate rather than her own home drew particular ire, with commentators like GB News presenter Stephen Dixon calling it “totally fake” and questioning whether Meghan truly spends her days “picking strawberries and collecting honey from bees.” Celebrity chef Jameson Stocks, who claimed to have declined a consulting role for the series, described it as “terrible” and “painful to watch,” criticizing its “forced and fake” presentation. He even alleged receiving a legal warning from Netflix after his public comments, underscoring the sensitivity surrounding the show’s reception.

Royal expert Kinsey Schofield echoed these sentiments, suggesting Meghan’s focus on herself “hijacked all the oxygen in the room” instead of elevating her guests. Schofield pointed to a viral moment where Meghan corrected a guest for calling her “Meghan Markle” instead of “Sussex,” saying, “You know I’m Sussex now,” as emblematic of her lack of humility. Critics also noted the show’s disconnect from current global realities, with chef Stocks arguing that Meghan’s portrayal of a curated, luxurious lifestyle in designer outfits felt “out of touch” amid a cost-of-living crisis.

Viewership Woes: A Failure to Capture Audiences

Despite a brief appearance in Netflix’s Global Top 10 English-language shows at #10 with 2.6 million views during its debut weekend, With Love, Meghan quickly lost momentum. According to Netflix’s semi-annual What We Watched report, the series garnered only 5.3 million total views from March to June 2025, placing it at #383 globally—far below reruns of Suits, the legal drama that made Meghan a star, which ranked higher with seasons 1–4 at #151, #242, #311, and #378, respectively. The show’s 12.6 million hours viewed translated to an average of 4 hours and 48 minutes per viewer, roughly matching its total runtime, suggesting that while some viewers watched the entire series, it failed to attract a broad audience.

Comparatively, other Sussex-produced Netflix projects also struggled. Prince Harry’s Polo docuseries, released in December 2024, ranked even lower at #3436 with just 500,000 views. The couple’s earlier projects, Live to Lead and Heart of Invictus, similarly failed to replicate the success of their 2022 docuseries Harry & Meghan. The lackluster performance of With Love, Meghan has raised questions about the viability of the Sussexes’ Netflix deal, which is set to expire in 2025, and whether Meghan can sustain a career in lifestyle television without the royal drama that drove viewership to their earlier work.

The “Idiotic” Decision to Film Season 2 Early

Perhaps the most surprising revelation was Netflix’s decision to film the second season of With Love, Meghan back-to-back with the first, before the initial season’s release Grownrelease. Royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams called this move “idiotic,” arguing that it prevented the production team from learning from the first season’s critical and commercial reception. “Meghan’s star in Hollywood is currently not a bright one,” Fitzwilliams told Express.co.uk. “The decision to film its successor back-to-back was idiotic, as nothing could be learned from the reaction to the first.”

This strategic misstep was compounded by the show’s poor performance, which some insiders suggested caused concern among Netflix executives. A source told MailOnline that while filming both seasons simultaneously was cost-effective and allowed for potential edits based on feedback, the overwhelmingly negative response to season 1 likely put pressure on the team to overhaul season 2, set to premiere in fall 2025. The lack of real-time audience data to inform the second season’s production may have locked the show into a format that failed to resonate, potentially jeopardizing its prospects further.

Broader Implications for Meghan’s Brand

The flop of With Love, Meghan has broader implications for Meghan’s rebranding efforts as a lifestyle entrepreneur. Her As Ever brand, launched in April 2025, aims to establish her as a “Californian royalty” figure, focusing on luxury food and hospitality products. However, the brand has faced its own challenges, including accusations of logo plagiarism from a small Spanish town and trademark issues with its original name, American Riviera Orchard. These controversies, combined with the show’s failure, have fueled skepticism about Meghan’s ability to carve out a successful niche in the competitive lifestyle market.

Some defenders, particularly on platforms like TikTok, have argued that the backlash against Meghan is tinged with “misogynoir,” pointing to her identity as a Black woman as a factor in the harsh criticism. Others, like Harper’s Bazaar, praised the show, stating that it proves “Meghan is right where she belongs.” Nevertheless, the dominant narrative in the media has been one of disappointment, with critics like Christina Pazsitzky calling Meghan “no Martha f***ing Stewart” and questioning her authenticity as a lifestyle host.

What Went Wrong?

Several factors contributed to the show’s poor reception. First, its polished, curated aesthetic clashed with audience expectations for authenticity, especially in an era of economic hardship. Second, Meghan’s lack of professional culinary credentials was a point of contention, with reviewers like Stocks suggesting she should “stick to acting.” Third, the show’s focus on Meghan’s personal brand over her guests’ stories alienated viewers who sought relatability. Finally, the decision to film in a rented estate rather than her own home reinforced perceptions of artifice, undermining the show’s premise of sharing Meghan’s “real world.”

Looking Ahead: Can Season 2 Turn Things Around?

With season 2 already filmed and slated for release in fall 2025, Meghan and Netflix face an uphill battle to salvage the series. Critics like Jameson Stocks have called for a “more authentic” approach, suggesting filming in her actual home or a studio to better reflect her personality. PR expert Mark Borkowski noted that a successful show could be a “massive leap forward” for Meghan’s brand, but only if it connects with audiences on a genuine level. Whether the team can incorporate feedback and pivot the format remains to be seen, but the stakes are high as the Sussexes’ Netflix contract nears its end.

Conclusion

With Love, Meghan was envisioned as a triumphant step in Meghan Markle’s evolution from royal to lifestyle icon, but its critical drubbing and failure to crack Netflix’s top 300 have cast doubts on her Hollywood comeback. The decision to film a second season prematurely, labeled “idiotic” by a royal expert, underscores the challenges of navigating the competitive world of lifestyle television. As Meghan continues to build her As Ever brand, she must address the authenticity gap and reconnect with audiences to secure her place in the industry. For now, With Love, Meghan serves as a cautionary tale of ambition outpacing execution, leaving the Duchess of Sussex at a crossroads in her post-royal career.