Why doesn't she just go away?

[Jenise]

From the online publication EATER:

On Thursday, just as everyone rubbed the New Year’s Day sleep out of their eyes, Meghan Markle revealed the first look at her forthcoming Netflix series, With Love, Meghan. The trailer, posted to Markle’s Instagram account, showcases the Duchess of Sussex hanging out in a Montecito, California mansion with famous friends like Mindy Kaling as she harvests fresh produce, snips florals, and, and tenderly sprinkles dried flower petals onto freshly glazed doughnuts.

The eight-episode series, part of Markle and her husband Prince Harry’s deal with Netflix, will premiere on January 15, and according to Deadline, Markle hopes to “reimagine the genre of lifestyle programming.” Based on the trailer, what that looks like is a lot of celebrity cameos, glimpses of breathtaking California coastline, and “intimate” glimpses into life with Markle, her prince husband, and their adorable children. It also, unfortunately, looks incredibly dull.

This isn’t Markle’s first go at lifestyle expertise — her now-defunct blog the Tig, launched in 2014, was, according to some, “poised to become the next Goop” before she abandoned the project in preparation for life as a royal. There, she shared travel tips, playlists, and of course, recipes. But that was a decade ago, when Markle was a television actress, and the idea of her relatability was at least plausible. She could be more open and vulnerable then, before gossip rags in two countries followed her every move. Now, Markle’s image is much more tightly controlled, her movements more calculated, and those machinations feel really obvious in the context of this series. Regardless of how relatable Markle believes herself to be, hers is a lifestyle that very few people can actually emulate.

It’s also unclear what cooking and entertaining “tips and tricks” (as she puts it in the trailer) Markle has to offer that have not already been shared by the lifestyle gurus who precede her. What could she possibly teach us that Martha Stewart or Ina Garten haven’t already? Yet it seems Markle wants us to think of her among those ranks, a true tastemaker for the millennial generation. In this glimpse of what’s to come, though, Markle doesn’t communicate a clear point-of-view. It is lovely, yes, to watch her lovingly snip carrots and exchange enamored glances with her husband, but it is not exactly exciting television.

She is a good actress and probably wants to make money. I can't blame anyone for that. Did you see Suits? She and Sara Rafferty did a great job playing their parts.

I don’t know, Jenise. That sounds an awful lot like “shut up and dribble”! She is a celebrity of another generation who will succeed or fail based on her relevance to them. I don’t care one iota about Meghan a Prince Harry. But I also don’t understand or care a rats ass about the Kardashians. So, what do I know?

[Jenise]

She is a good actress and probably wants to make money. I can't blame anyone for that. Did you see Suits? She and Sara Rafferty did a great job playing their parts.

Nope, didn't see Suits. But because of that one gets the impression that she's addicted to fame. She and Harry obviously have plenty of money even without a revenue stream known to us. She doesn't need to do this. It feels exploitative. Martha Stewart already exists and is better at what she does than Meghan will ever be in this lifetime, another princess wanna-be is not needed. Especially in this world where the divide between haves and have-nots gets wider by the day and will only worsen under Trump. Her cashing in on her fame won't help, it will only make her even less relatable.

Martha Stewart already exists and is better at what she does than Meghan will ever be in this lifetime, another princess wanna-be is not needed...

MS is 83 years old! I think there's room for more and younger people in the lifestyle racket. Whether MM will be one of those, I have no idea. But there will probably always be a market for wealthy people showing off their taste, it goes back centuries. So it doesn't seem crazy that MM would try.

[Jenise]

But at least Martha earned her stripes. Love her or hate her, she came from close to nothing and did it all and on her own terms. Where Meghan's just an actress who married well. I begrudge her nothing--she was treated horribly by the British press and the royal family. Getting out of Dodge was the best possible decision and I admire Harry greatly for taking the parachute to save his family. Took a lot of courage to do that. All the same, she seems to want to stay in the public eye and so far that hasn't worked out so well.

But at least Martha earned her stripes. Love her or hate her, she came from close to nothing and did it all and on her own terms. Where Meghan's just an actress who married well...All the same, she seems to want to stay in the public eye and so far that hasn't worked out so well.

I'm not sure how background matters. Plenty of actors/celebrities leverage their fame for making career pivots, it's the whole point of being famous. Certainly worked for Gwyneth Paltrow and Rihanna. I can see how you might think it's cynical and would not be interested. I'm certainly not interested in any of them!

But it seems to be a very common path and if her product finds an audience, more power to her.

Once a marine, always a marine
Once in law enforcement, always in law enforcement
Once an actress, always an actress

I've lived long enough to see this. We have our share of famous folks living up here who wish to be private, but I can tell you they want to be in the limelight when out and about, on TV or in public, It just sticks with them.
She is out doing something and it will be fun to see the set, and how it all comes together. When she and Harry left England my heart went out to both of them. Harry was very brave and so was she for speaking out.
I look forward to seeing the gardens, flowers, they always were my favorite part of Martha Stewart's and Ina Garten's shows. Oh, how those ladies could garden.

Agree with Karen that she did a good job on Suits (which I have watched through twice and enjoyed greatly). She might have settled down and become just another royal wife rather than an apparent hanger-on, had Harry's relationship with the family 'firm' been better but as is they both have t find meaning in life outside that milieu. The show, for those that haven't seen it, was ostensibly set in New York, but was shot all in Toronto.

It isn't impossible to segue from the entertainment world to being a royal wife - Grace Kelly is probably the example that comes most quickly to mind. Meghan and Harry are sitting there without the means but apparently with the desire to function in charitable areas, while Dad has had the Prince's Trust (now King's Trust) which has been helping young people for the last 50 odd years and William and Catherine have the Royal Foundation, which targets conservation and homelessness

Now, there is another movie coming up for you to digest and discuss. Melania Trump has partnered with Amazon for her life story. I can't wait for the comments.

[Jenise]

But at least Martha earned her stripes. Love her or hate her, she came from close to nothing and did it all and on her own terms. Where Meghan's just an actress who married well...All the same, she seems to want to stay in the public eye and so far that hasn't worked out so well.

I'm not sure how background matters. Plenty of actors/celebrities leverage their fame for making career pivots, it's the whole point of being famous. Certainly worked for Gwyneth Paltrow and Rihanna. I can see how you might think it's cynical and would not be interested. I'm certainly not interested in any of them!

But it seems to be a very common path and if her product finds an audience, more power to her.

Background only matters if legitimacy matters. To me it does, but your point that for a good many it does not is well taken. Like you, I exist completely outside of that kind of thing anyway except for the occasional eyeroll.

Background only matters if legitimacy matters...

Yes but Martha Stewart was a model in college, worked in finance in her 20s, and didn't begin in food until her mid-30s, first food book published in her 40s. Sounds like a bunch of pivots to me and not necessarily different or more legitimate than Markle.

Martha Stewart may have always had an interest in food and entertaining, but for all we know the same applies to Markle. Or maybe not. Maybe someone here has more knowledge.

I once tinkered with a fun little Flash game that showed Martha Stewart decorating a jail cell. Does Markle also do insider trading?

[Jenise]

Background only matters if legitimacy matters...

Yes but Martha Stewart was a model in college, worked in finance in her 20s, and didn't begin in food until her mid-30s, first food book published in her 40s.

Yes, more to my point. She started a catering company. She became a profesional at home entertaining and excelled at it both because she loved it and because she identified an absence of elegance and professionalism in that space. And only then did she start writing books which established the expertise that became the basis for everything else, and her finance background helped her turn it into an empire. There's a logical trail there. It wasn't a need for fame, it was a need to excel at everything she did.

Yes, fair enough. I can see that.

Martha Stewart is a perfectionist, probably to a fault. I will never forget one of her shows. She was scrapping out ingredients from a bowl and must have gotten a prompt to hurry because of time. She stated," I don't waste food; I am going to clean out this bowl!" I loved that. I see much waste on many shows, especially The Kitchen which I love and record to watch on Sundays. I understand the time constraint, however.

[Jenise]

I don’t know, Jenise. That sounds an awful lot like “shut up and dribble”!

Oof! If you're implying that my POV had something to do with race (as did the original you quote), I'm shocked. I would think you knew me better than that. FWIW I think Gwyneth Paltrow needs to go away too. I just have a very strong dislike for the exploitative way that Americans merchandise celebrity. Just because you're a famous actor doesn't entitle you to declare yourself an expert about anything else. The field's getting pretty crowded too; I really don't think the world needs lifestyle advice from Meghan any more than it does wine from Cameron Diaz or dog food from Rachel Ray.

I don’t know, Jenise. That sounds an awful lot like “shut up and dribble”!

Oof! If you're implying that my POV had something to do with race (as did the original you quote), I'm shocked. I would think you knew me better than that.

Ditto! Like its originator, I just found it an unnecessarily derogatory comment, no matter which direction it is pointed. Although, I do realize it was a repost from Eater magazine. Celebrity culture is something that I kind of see and don't see. So, what do I know?!

Where Meghan's just an actress who married well. I begrudge her nothing--she was treated horribly by the British press

Seen this January 2025 Vanity Fair article?

https://www.vanityfair.com/style/story/ ... story-2025

Maybe it just took time for the US press to catch up with what the UK press were reporting on years ago

[Jenise]

Peter, the racism and dislike for her as an American actress and divorcee was pretty fierce. Your tabloids are absolutely brutal. And may I mention Piers Morgan? All that took place well before they decided to get out of Dodge and start over in California.

I hadn't read this article before but it goes into a lot of detail about things I hardly knew about nor would want to know. Had no idea their cozy little Montecito home was 18,000 square feet! It's just a little hard for me to stomach the fact that while they sit and complain to Oprah about their lack of privacy, they (or at least she) is out there trying to stay in the public eye. Why not just be happy with each other and raise their children like normal people--or as normal as it can be when you marry royal.