Meghan Markle’s new Netflix lifestyle series, With Love, Meghan, has been met with scathing reviews from UK critics, who have dismissed it as “pointless” and an “exercise in narcissism.”
The six-episode series, which premiered on Tuesday, focuses on Markle’s love for cooking, hosting, and family life, featuring celebrity guests such as Mindy Kaling. However, British media commentators have not been kind to the show, with many calling it uninspired and self-indulgent.
‘So Awful It’s Almost Compelling’
Daily Mail columnist Amanda Platell described the series as “so awful it is almost compelling,” while The Guardian’s Stuart Heritage called it “so pointless it might be the Sussexes’ last TV show.”
Heritage criticized Markle’s attempt at a lifestyle program, stating, “Nobody wants to see Meghan making decorative ladybird crostini with Mindy Kaling.” He went on to say that the series resembles “gormless lifestyle filler” that might air as Saturday Kitchen extras if produced by the BBC.
‘Queasy And Exhausting’
The Independent’s Katie Rosseinsky found With Love, Meghan to be “a millennial blog come to life,” comparing it to the Duchess’s former lifestyle website The Tig. She described Markle’s on-screen presence as “queasy and exhausting” and criticized the show’s failure to balance aspiration and relatability.
“The show simultaneously strains for aspiration and relatability in a way that never gels,” she wrote, while acknowledging that Markle “looks radiant in her various neutral-toned outfits” and is “clearly at ease in front of cameras.”
Cooking Skills Questioned
The Telegraph’s Anita Singh questioned Markle’s credibility in the kitchen, despite her involvement in a 2018 charity cookbook. “She doesn’t appear to be very good at cooking, or particularly to enjoy it, other than arranging vegetables and fruit on platters,” Singh wrote, adding that the series was filled with “extravagant brunches, celebrity pals, and business plugs.”
Many reviewers also took issue with Markle’s persistent promotion of her homemade jam line from her As Ever lifestyle brand, viewing it as a blatant marketing ploy rather than an organic part of the show.
A Few Positive Takes
Not all reviews were entirely negative. Harper’s Bazaar’s Bianca Betancourt argued that Markle seems “happy” and has returned to her “lifestyle guru roots.” Meanwhile, Town & Country Magazine’s Emily Burack noted that Markle’s “walls come down a bit” in the series, showing a more relaxed side of the Duchess.
Despite these glimpses of praise, the overwhelming consensus among UK critics is that the series lacks depth, originality, or any revelations about her royal past that viewers may have expected. Instead, With Love, Meghan focuses on simple cooking tips, A-list guest appearances, and Markle’s personal reflections—served, of course, with love.
