On August 6, 2025, the irreverent animated series South Park returned with a razor-sharp episode in its 28th season, setting its sights on Meghan Markle’s Netflix lifestyle show, With Love, Meghan. Known for its fearless satire and unapologetic humor, the show took no prisoners as it lampooned the Duchess of Sussex’s carefully curated persona and her glossy, aspirational cooking series. The episode, met with uproarious laughter and a chorus of “They nailed it!” from viewers, has once again proven why South Park remains a cultural juggernaut, unafraid to skewer even the most prominent figures in pop culture. This latest installment not only mocks Meghan’s polished aesthetic but also reignites debates about her public image, her Hollywood ventures, and the contradictions that have made her a polarizing figure.
The episode dives headfirst into the heart of With Love, Meghan, a Netflix series that premiered earlier in 2025, showcasing Meghan’s take on cooking, entertaining, and lifestyle in a luxurious Montecito setting. South Park wastes no time in poking fun at the show’s meticulously staged scenes, where Meghan is seen arranging flowers, crafting homemade jams, and hosting celebrity friends in a rented £5 million mansion. The animated series exaggerates these elements to comedic effect, portraying a fictionalized version of Meghan as an over-the-top influencer obsessed with perfection. From her color-coordinated fruit platters to her earnest tips on packing children’s party bags, the show’s creators, Trey Parker and Matt Stone, amplify every detail into a caricature of extravagance. The result is a biting commentary on the disconnect between Meghan’s projected authenticity and the highly produced nature of her brand.
In true South Park fashion, the episode doesn’t just target Meghan’s show but also weaves in broader cultural critiques. The fictional town of South Park becomes a stage for exploring the absurdity of celebrity-driven lifestyle content in an era where streaming platforms churn out endless shows promising to elevate everyday life. The characters in the episode, including the ever-cynical Eric Cartman, mock the idea of a former royal teaching viewers how to live “authentically” while surrounded by opulence. One particularly memorable scene features a parody of Meghan instructing her guests on how to “find joy in the little things,” only for Cartman to interrupt with a sarcastic rant about the price of organic berries in a small-town grocery store. The humor lands because it taps into a widely shared sentiment: the unrelatable nature of a duchess preaching simplicity from a multimillion-dollar estate.
The episode also revisits themes from South Park’s 2023 episode, “The Worldwide Privacy Tour,” which famously parodied Meghan and Prince Harry’s quest for privacy amid their high-profile media projects. In that earlier takedown, the couple was depicted as the Prince and Princess of Canada, loudly demanding seclusion while embarking on a global publicity tour. The 2025 episode builds on this foundation, portraying Meghan’s Netflix show as the latest chapter in her paradoxical pursuit of both relevance and relatability. By focusing on With Love, Meghan, the creators highlight the tension between her royal background and her attempts to reinvent herself as a lifestyle guru, a move that some viewers see as genuine reinvention and others view as calculated branding.
Beyond the laughs, the episode subtly critiques the broader influencer culture that Meghan’s show represents. It pokes fun at the trend of celebrities leveraging their fame to sell aspirational lifestyles, often ignoring the economic realities of their audiences. In one scene, a character resembling Meghan proudly presents a “budget-friendly” recipe that requires obscure ingredients like saffron and edible gold leaf, prompting Stan Marsh to quip, “Yeah, super affordable if you’re a duchess!” The humor underscores a growing fatigue with the polished, unattainable aesthetics peddled by celebrity-driven content, a theme that resonates in an age of social media saturation.
Meghan’s portrayal in the episode is not without controversy. Some fans of the Duchess argue that South Park’s satire crosses into unfair territory, reducing her to a caricature while ignoring her efforts to carve out a new identity post-royalty. Supporters point to her work with charities and her advocacy for women’s issues as evidence of her sincerity, suggesting that the show’s mockery overlooks her broader contributions. However, detractors argue that With Love, Meghan invites parody with its overt focus on luxury and its failure to connect with a wider audience. The show’s modest viewership—ranking #383 on Netflix’s 2025 list with 5.3 million views—lends credence to the idea that it hasn’t captured the public’s imagination as Meghan might have hoped.
The South Park episode also touches on Meghan’s reported reaction to past parodies. Following the 2023 “Worldwide Privacy Tour” episode, sources claimed Meghan was “upset and overwhelmed” by the ridicule, though she and Prince Harry denied rumors of legal action. The 2025 episode slyly references this, with the fictional Meghan character attempting to “sue” the town of South Park for defamation, only to be thwarted by the town’s residents uniting in a comedic display of free speech. This meta-commentary adds another layer to the satire, poking fun at the idea of celebrities trying to control their narrative in the face of criticism.
As with any South Park episode, the humor is equal parts crude and clever, blending lowbrow gags with sharp social observations. The show’s ability to balance these elements has kept it relevant for nearly three decades, and this episode is no exception. By targeting With Love, Meghan, South Park taps into a broader conversation about authenticity, privilege, and the commodification of personal brands. The episode’s release on Paramount+ ensures it reaches a wide audience, amplifying its impact and sparking discussions across social media platforms.
For Meghan, the episode represents another challenge in her ongoing effort to redefine her public image. Since stepping back from royal duties in 2020, she and Prince Harry have pursued various media ventures, from Netflix docuseries to podcasts and now lifestyle programming. Each project has been met with scrutiny, with critics questioning whether the couple can truly escape the shadow of their royal past. South Park’s latest jab suggests that, for now, their attempts to blend relatability with celebrity status remain ripe for satire.
Ultimately, the episode’s success lies in its ability to entertain while holding a mirror to cultural trends. Whether viewers see Meghan as a savvy entrepreneur or an out-of-touch celebrity, South Park’s parody captures the contradictions that make her such a compelling figure for satire. As the animated series continues to push boundaries, it reminds us that no one—not even a duchess—is safe from its sharp-witted critique. With fans already calling for more episodes targeting the Sussexes, it’s clear that South Park has struck a chord, leaving audiences laughing and Meghan, perhaps, bracing for the next round.
