What’s Everybody’s Problem With Meghan Markle Now?

With Love, Meghan, starring the former Meghan Markle (more on that in a bit), has dropped on Netflix, and the usual suspects are fuming. Because, of course, if she walked on water, royalists and the ever-bitter British press would say it was because she couldn’t swim.

Before her Netflix show even premiered, it was postponed due to the Los Angeles wildfires. When they hit, Meghan and Prince Harry didn’t flounce around Montecito, waiting for the moment to pass. They were out in Los Angeles helping real people in real time. The Sussexes got involved while the British royal family continued their grand tradition of doing nothing useful. Meghan was on the ground, offering support and helping. She and Harry weren’t just there for the photo ops; they were out there, comforting victims and making tangible efforts to assist. 

Meghan even teamed up with Billie Eilish to help a teen who lost everything in the fires, gifting her some merch to bring a little light to a terrible situation. (You can practically hear the pearl-clutching from across the pond: How dare she be thoughtful and generous?!)

But sure, let’s act like she’s the villain here.

With Love, Meghan—The Soft Life Chronicles

Now, let’s talk about the show itself. With Love, Meghan is simply lovely. I wrote about it before, and everything I said then still stands. This is not a groundbreaking, change-the-world type of show. It won’t cure cancer, bring world peace, or magically summon Oscar Isaac into my bathtub (I’m just kidding about that part, by the way — Oscar’s wife looks like she knows how to fight). But it is a perfectly charming, beautifully shot, aesthetically pleasing guide to a cozy and curated life.

It is also very SoCal-coded. Think breezy brightness, “soft life” at its peak, indoor-outdoor living 300 days a year, endless shades of white and cream, homemade dog biscuits, pretty tea cups, and beeswax candle-making parties with celebrity besties. Meghan Markle looks at peace, and it radiates through the series. It’s about joy, rest, and savoring the little things. And if that’s a crime, go ahead and lock me up—because even I, who is more “old New York” coded than Jerry Orbach’s Det. Lennie Briscoe on Law & Order, enjoyed this little foray into the SoCal soft life of a self-made princess.

The Bitter Brigade—Why So Mad?

Of course, the haters—most notably, the ever-dramatic British press and their legion of royalist stans—are clutching their pearls yet again. (Do y’all even have any pearls left to clutch? Jeez. Think of the oysters!) This time, it’s because With Love, Meghan is successful.

They’ll never admit that outright, though. Instead, they’ve taken to review-bombing the show, flooding IMDb and Rotten Tomatoes with bad-faith critiques even as it dominates Netflix’s global Top 10. 

And what’s the actual complaint? That Meghan Markle is too happy? That she’s minding her business, staying hydrated, and making beautiful cakes with flower sprinkles while the British tabloids desperately try to gin up some new scandal? 

The Kate Middleton Hypocrisy

Speaking of, let’s talk about the inevitable Kate Middleton comparisons. When With Love, Meghan hit Netflix’s Top 10, the first thing the royalists started squawking about was that Kate married for love, while Meghan married for status and money.

This is interesting, considering Kate never had a real job, followed William around throughout university, and even changed her major to be closer to him. The woman dedicated her entire early adulthood to securing that ring, even as the man plowed through countless “aristo girls” and college flings, earning her the “Waity Katie” nickname. 

Meanwhile, Meghan Markle had an actual career before meeting Harry and downgraded her life to go live in antiquated royal accommodations because she genuinely loved him. Moreover, when the couple announced they were “stepping back” from royal duties, Meghan didn’t jump ship—she stayed on, which she wouldn’t have done if she was just there for the “status and money.”

And yet, somehow, it’s Meghan who’s the social climber?

The British tabloids immediately manufactured comparisons between the fundamentally different women,  pointing out that Kate is an avid beekeeper—which, funny enough, is something we had never heard about until Meghan visited an apiary. And let’s not forget the petty sneering about King Charles’ line of preserves (because who doesn’t want a spoonful of royal mediocrity to help the medicine go down?). 

Ironically, sales of his jam only increased after Meghan announced her line, proving once again that even the British monarchy profits off her influence. Instead of slamming Meghan with baseless accusations (looking at you, Jason Knauf), they should send thank-you notes to Madame Duchess for putting their products on the map. Maybe, if they ask nicely, Meghan will teach them to do so in calligraphy.

The Name “Controversy” 

And then there’s this latest outrage—Meghan embracing her married name and calling herself “Meghan Sussex” in With Love, Meghan.

Are we seriously dissecting how a woman introduces herself? The British media is losing its collective mind over this as if Meghan’s decision to embrace her chosen family name is somehow a personal affront to King Charles himself. Maybe they can explain it to me like I’m five—what’s the big deal? If folks can accept calling the British royal family “Windsor” when their real last name is “Saxe-Coburg-Gotha,” they will surely not suffer too much if they have to call this little family “Harry and Meghan Sussex.” 

Meanwhile, Prince Andrew—he of Epstein infamy—still gets to be called “His Royal Highness” in public while doing “walkabouts” with “the family,” and nobody seems particularly bothered by that. Make it make sense.

Final Verdict—A Soft Life Well Lived

At the end of the day, With Love, Meghan is exactly what it set out to be—a warm, lovely show about finding joy in life’s simple pleasures. It’s what Martha Stewart would do if she’d been born and raised in California instead of New Jersey.

And if we’re keeping it real, With Love, Meghan also gives a nod to the late, great B. Smith, a true pioneer of the lifestyle movement. Before anyone had heard of Martha Stewart, B. Smith broke barriers as one of the first celebrity chefs, a restaurateur, model, and businesswoman who defined elegance and hospitality with an effortless grace. Meghan isn’t just playing in this space—she’s honoring a legacy first set by a Black woman, just like her. But more than that, the show celebrates life, love, and Black girl joy. It celebrates slowing down, rest, good food, and good company. What is so offensive about that? Are people really that miserable? If so, I have a suggestion: Touch some grass.