Prince Harry wanted Meghan Markle to ‘have her moment to shine’ whenever he visited the set of her Netflix cookery show, insiders have revealed.

Duke of Sussex, 40, appeared only fleetingly in the episodes of With Love, Meghan, which aired on the streaming platform last week – and has since been renewed for a second season.

In a new interview with PEOPLE Magazine, insiders have revealed what the couple were really like behind the scenes.

One unnamed crew member described Harry as ‘super polite and friendly’ whenever he visited the set with their children Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet – to whom Meghan, 43, was ‘super attentive and doting’.

However, Harry was clearly keen to stay out of the spotlight and make sure his wife had her big moment.

The insider said: ‘Whenever Harry visited set, he was always super polite and friendly. But it was clear he wanted this to be Meghan’s moment to shine.’

Meanwhile Vicky Tsai, Meghan’s close friend and founder of Tatcha skincare, shed light on the couple’s hobbies, saying the Duke and Duchess of Sussex enjoy playing the tile game mahjong and have taken up pickleball – an increasingly popular paddle sport that combines elements of tennis, badminton and ping-pong.

Speaking of Meghan, she said: ‘She’s really creative and curious. She enjoys things that you wouldn’t expect — like mahjong.

Prince Harry wanted Meghan Markle to ‘have her moment to shine’ whenever he visited the set of her Netflix cookery show, insiders have revealed (pictured in the show)

‘She’s constantly trying to pull me into her weekly mahjong group. And she and Harry are pretty passionate about pickleball. They are trying to convince me to join the group!’

Harry only made a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it appearance in the final episode of the series – where the Duchess of Sussex organised a brunch ‘with her community’.

Despite appearing in the trailer, the royal was only personally on camera once during his wife’s lifestyle series.

The Duke is among a flurry of guests, including his mother-in-law Doria Ragland, at a sunny outdoor party hosted by Meghan.

‘Oh there he is,’ Meghan gushed as her husband walked in, sporting a casual linen shirt and jeans for the outing.

The couple packed on the PDA as the Duchess huddled up to her husband, and said ‘good, right?’ while admiring the spread of champagne, Mimosas, quiche, bacon, pancakes and salad laid out.

‘Well done,’ he assured. ‘You did a great job. I love it.’

He could also be seen proudly looking on and raising a glass as the Duchess thanks those in attendance for ‘loving her so much and celebrating with her’.

Meghan is pictured with Vicky Tsai, her close friend and founder of Tatcha skincare, in her Netflix show
Meghan Markle’s husband made a short and sparse cameo in her hugely anticipated cookery show, which has finally aired on Netflix this morning
Prince Harry had a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it appearance in the final episode of the series – where the Duchess of Sussex organised a brunch ‘with her community’ in the eight and final episode
Moment Prince Harry jumps out and scares Meghan during hike

‘This feels like a new chapter that I’m so excited that I get to share,’ she continued. ‘When I’ve been able to learn from all of you.

‘Thank you for the love and support. And here we go, it’s a business. All of that is that creativity that I’ve missed so much.’

‘To you!’ Harry can be heard toasting as Redbone’s Come And Get Your Love plays in the background.

The Prince at one point also cheekily sneaks in some strawberries while looking at the camera.

Harry was also mentioned in episode two of the series, where Meghan chats to pal and Hollywood star Mindy Kaling.

While sampling a frittata made for her by the hostess, the actress said: ‘How did you season this so perfectly?’

Meghan replied: ‘Well I have a family, a husband, who no matter what meal I put in front of him, before he tastes it, puts salt on.

‘So I try to undersalt.’

At that, Mindy quipped: ‘I love knowing that your husband likes it salty’ – as Meghan shared a cheeky look with her friend.

Though the series has since been renewed for a second season, its debut on Netflix last week was largely criticised in the media.

‘With Love, Meghan’ lands on Netflix on Tuesday morning and is aimed at showing a new side to the Duchess of Sussex
The director of Meghan Markle ‘s Netflix show has admitted she’s ‘not a chef’ – days after the first season was widely panned by critics. Pictured together
Director Michael Steed previously worked on the Emmy-winning series Anthony Bourdain : Parts Unknown. Pictured in 2021

The series was slammed by reviewers as ‘gormless lifestyle filler’ with a ‘tangible desperation’ following its release.

Others said it shows the Duchess is ‘attempting to cling to fame by any means possible’, while another described how she was ‘joylessly filling kids’ party bags with seeds’.

Guardian TV writer Stuart Heritage said the series was ‘so pointless it might be the Sussexes’ last TV show’ and ‘might also be the final thing she makes for Netflix’.

The Telegraph gave the show just two stars. In a review, they said the series was an ‘exercise in narcissism, filled with extravagant brunches, celebrity pals and business plugs’.

The episodes feature Meghan inviting famous friends to a California estate where she shares cooking, gardening and hosting tips.

Despite the criticism, With Love, Meghan has been renewed for season two and is set to air in the autumn, with filming already having been completed.

Meghan floods new Netflix cookery show with bizarre tips

Viewers were left baffled by Meghan’s very unusual attempt to cook pasta
Viewers poked fun at Meghan Markle’s Netflix series, With Love, Meghan, by ‘elevating’ ordinary food flowers in a social media post.
In one episode the duchess added flowers to filtered water to make pretty ice cubes
Pasta disaster? Meghan explains her ‘skillet spaghetti ‘to her best friend and celebrity make-up artist Daniel Martin early on in the first episode of new Netflix series With Love, Meghan

The Duchess confirmed the news on Instagram over the weekend, when she uploaded a story with the caption ‘I’m thrilled to share that season 2 of With Love, Meghan is coming!’

During each of the eight 33-minute episodes, which dropped on Tuesday, Meghan was joined by guests as she offered lifestyle tips from inside a rented $8million (£5million) mansion near the Sussexes’ Montecito home.

‘This may raise a few eyebrows but one thing which Netflix love is controversy – and this show certainly created alot of debate,’ one TV insider told the Sun after the renewal was announced.

They added: ‘Many were so scathing about the eight-part series that they thought there was no way it would get another season.

‘But it seems the streamer is delighted with the chatter its created on both sides of the Atlantic this week.’

Meghan shared a number of recipes throughout the series, including for spaghetti, a honey and lemon cake and a cooked breakfast. She said her new show had helped her to ‘find herself’ again.

But despite her huge two-million-strong following on social media, she insisted she instead saw as a ‘female founder’ and ‘entrepreneur’ rather than an influencer.

Since Harry and Meghan signed their $80million mega deal with Netflix in 2020, there has been one smash hit and three relative duds.

Meghan Markle has had her new Netflix show ‘renewed for a second season’ just days after the first episodes were panned by critics and fans
The show renewal came after the first season was widely panned by critics
With Love, Meghan launched on the Netflix at 8am UK time last week
‘You know I’m Sussex now’: Awkward moment Meghan addresses name

The biographical ‘Harry & Meghan’ was the streaming service’s biggest documentary debut, viewed in almost 29 million households in its first four days, and proved a global sensation.

But Polo, a sports docuseries, Live to Lead – which focused on ‘global justice activists’ – and Heart of Invictus, about Harry’s games for wounded soldiers, proved lacklustre additions that failed to set the streaming service’s viewing figures ablaze.

‘With Love, Meghan’ sees the duchess trying to promote herself in a new way as a ‘domestic goddess’, baking cakes, arranging flowers and slipping into a beekeeper’s suit to collect honey.

However, in Los Angeles where Meghan and Harry live with their two children, Archie, five, and Lilibet, three, sources have said the Sussexes relationship with Netflix is on borrowed time, amid claims they have proven hard to work with.

‘The word bandied around internally is ‘nightmare’,’ one insider told the Sunday Times, with others claiming the chances of a deal being renewed would rest squarely on whether or not ‘With Love, Meghan’ proved a hit.

The eight episode series shows Meghan inviting famous friends to her house and features brief appearances from husband Harry
The first products from Meghan Markle’s As Ever brand with Netflix were revealed
Meghan, hand in hand with her daughter Lilibet, in the cover photo for her new brand’s website

Speaking to People magazine ahead of the release of her series the 43-year-old royal said filming her new show had helped her to rediscover her creativity – and that it had reignited ‘a spark’ in Harry’s eye.

‘It’s almost like a honeymoon period again because it’s exactly how it was in the beginning when he’d watch me scribbling away, writing newsletters, fine-tuning edits and just really being in the details of it,’ she told People magazine.

‘I think he loves watching as much as I love doing that creative process. It’s just been fun. This is who I’ve always been.’

Previously, the duchess had a significant setback when her $20 million Spotify podcast series was cancelled with Spotify executive Bill Simmons describing Meghan and husband Prince Harry as ‘grifters.’