Meghan Markle is returning to television with a brand-new lifestyle series on Netflix, but some critics are already finding fault with it.
The streaming service released a trailer for With Love, Meghan this week. The Duchess of Sussex, 43, will host friends and share her favourite tips for cooking, gardening, and crafting.
According to Netflix, the series will give viewers a chance to ‘join Meghan in the kitchen, garden — and even at the beehive’.
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Celebrity guests will include Mindy Kaling, Roy Choi, Alice Waters, and more. Each episode will see Meghan and her guest trading tips and tricks.
The series was shot in Montecito, California, the same place where Meghan and Prince Harry settled after leaving the UK. However, the new Netflix series was not filmed at their actual home, despite popular belief.
It was actually filmed around two miles away from Meghan and Harry’s residence at a mansion borrowed from their neighbour. The luxury 4,500-square-foot estate that was used in the Netflix show is said to be worth $5 million, and is owned by the prominent Cipolla family, according to the Mail.
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The grand estate, which is nestled inside a gated community, boasts four bedrooms and four bathrooms and has eight acres of avocado trees and lemon groves, which makes it the perfect backdrop for the sunny and bright theme of the new Netflix show.
But not everyone is happy about it. The setting of the show was discussed on This Morning on Friday (3 January) the day after the trailer was shared online.
Television presenter Mercy Muroki said: “She’s dropped this glitzy trailer on Instagram because she’s got a new Netflix deal for a show that’s going to be called With Love, Meghan.
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“And it’s basically an ‘at home with Meghan’ experience – she's going to be talking about wellness, she’s going to have guests on, she’s going to be telling people how they can improve their wellbeing.
"However, it has been controversial... First of all, it’s not filmed in her own home. So, it’s ‘at home with Meghan’ but...”
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This Morning co-host Sian Welby then chipped in: “But not her own home!
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“And I think it’s controversial because, for me, this idea of celebrities – I think she lives in a 16-bedroom mansion in Montecito or something like that – celebrities who have millions of pounds at their disposal, they come along and they tell the ordinary people ‘This is how you can live well’.
“Well, yeah, you can live well when you have millions of pounds at your disposal.”
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s home in Montecito has nine bedrooms and 16 bathrooms. They purchased the 18,000-square-ft property in 2020 for $14.65 million.
Neither Netflix nor Meghan said the show was filmed at her actual home.
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Sharing the trailer on her new Instagram account, she captioned the post: "I have been so excited to share this with you! I hope you love the show as much as I loved making it.
"Wishing you all a fantastic new year! Thanks to our amazing crew and the team @netflix. Beyond grateful for the support - and fun! As ever, Meghan."
Tyla has approached Netflix and Markle's representatives for comment.
All eight episodes of Love, Meghan will drop on 15 January, 2025.
Topics: Meghan Markle, Netflix, Prince Harry, TV And Film, Celebrity
Gregory Robinson