Meghan Markle has been forced to make an embarrassing U-turn as her upcoming cooking show has been put into the ‘Reality TV’ category by the streaming giant, Netflix.
‘With Love, Meghan’ is set to drop on Netflix on January 15 and will see The Duchess of Sussex share cooking and gardening tips with celebrity chefs and friends.
The category tag, however, seems to go against something the Sussexes claimed they would not do almost five years ago. Back in 2020, after reports they would film a reality TV show for Netflix, their spokesperson at the time bluntly said: “The Duke and Duchess are not taking part in any reality shows.”
This was in relation to the bombshell series, ‘Harry & Meghan’, which was later billed by Netflix as a docuseries under the categories of ‘Biographical Documentaries’ and ‘Social & Cultural Docs’.
Netflix has currently tagged ‘We Love, Meghan’ under the genres of – ‘Food & Travel TV, Reality TV, and Home & Garden Reality TV’.
Harry and Meghan signed a multi-million dollar deal with Netflix almost five years ago, after quitting their jobs as working royals. Their biggest ‘hit’ so far has been their controversial docuseries, titled ‘Harry & Meghan’.
A promotional synopsis for the upcoming series ‘With Love, Meghan’, says: “This inspiring series, produced by Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, reimagines the genre of lifestyle programming, blending practical how-tos and candid conversation with friends, new and old.
“Meghan shares personal tips and tricks, embracing playfulness over perfection and highlights how easy it can be to create beauty, even in the unexpected. She and her guests roll up their sleeves in the kitchen, the garden, and beyond, and invite you to do the same.”
The couple are also executive producers of ‘Polo’ which aired in December 2024, which struggled to impress critics as it failed to make it in the Netflix Top 10 category in America, the UK, and globally.
It is believed that Meghan’s upcoming cooking show will focus purely on cooking and the joys of being around friends, with no mention of the Royal Family expected.
While tensions exist between the couple and the Royal Family, Harry and Meghan refrained from talking about the family negatively in 2024, which is believed to be as a result of King Charles and Princess Kates’ health scares.
Richard Eden wrote in The Daily Mail how the Royal Family are reportedly not dreading this show and hope it will be a success. Mr Eden was told by a Palace source: “Everyone wants it to be a success. And that’s because, if it is, she and Harry won’t need to exploit their royal connections again. The last thing anyone wants is another Spare, this time from Meghan.”
Meghan uploaded the teaser trailer to her new Instagram page and captioned her 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!”