The countdown is officially on until the release of Meghan Markle’s new lifestyle series, With Love, Meghan.
After much speculation, the Duchess confirmed the news of her highly-anticipated show at the start of January – but in the weeks that have followed there has been much drama linked to the project. Here’s everything you need to know…
On New Year’s day 2025, Meghan relaunched her Instagram account to the delight of her fan base, and just one day later shared the trailer for her eight-part series, which she confirmed was titled With Love, Meghan.
The short video showed Harry’s wife showcasing her cooking and gardening skills with special guests including Mindy Kaling, Roy Choi, Alice Waters and, of course, her husband.
In a caption, Meghan told her fans: “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!”
Netflix, meanwhile, said in its description: “This inspiring series, produced by Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, reimagines the genre of lifestyle programming, blending practical how-to’s 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.”
Initially, With Love, Meghan was due to premiere on the streaming giant on 15 Jan – but three days before its debut, the Duchess of Sussex announced that it was being pushed back to 4 March due to the devastation caused by the wildfires in Los Angeles.
“I’m thankful to my partners at Netflix for supporting me in delaying the launch, as we focus on the needs of those impacted by the wildfires in my home state of California,” Meghan said in a statement on 12 Jan.
Friends of the Sussexes, meanwhile, have been quick to share their excitement at Meghan’s new project, including her Suits co-star Abigail Spencer, fellow ‘polo wife’, Delfina Blaquier, and The Office star Mindy Kaling.
But in recent weeks, questions have been raised about the series’ content. It has been reported that the programme, which was previously rumoured to be a cookery show, will hardly feature any recipes and will instead offer ideas on how to be the “perfect hostess”.
A source who is said to have seen a first glimpse of the show told the Mail: “There is no point at which Meghan says ‘take 200 grams of flour’ or anything like that. It’s a very magical and beautiful guide to hosting and entertaining rather than a how-to cookery show. It’s about inspiration – more like, ‘Why not try and make this kind of pasta or this kind of dessert’.”
The source further added that Prince Harry is “barely glimpsed” and “barely mentioned” in the show and it’s “all about” Meghan.
Actress Mindy, meanwhile, recently spoke to Time about her part in the upcoming Netflix show, saying the series will reveal more about the Duchess.
“I think a misconception about Meghan is that she’s in any way fussy or has expectations of fanciness. She really is a down-to-earth person who knows a lot of fun tricks to make entertaining and cooking easier,” Mindy said.
“I love cooking, but I’m really not good at entertaining. I don’t know anything about how you’re not supposed to use overhead lighting when people come over. You’re supposed to use little lamps. But Meghan just knows how to do that stuff.”
Her comments didn’t sit well with some social media users who called the advice impractical, and argued that most families don’t have the space or money to buy extra lamps just for parties.
“Sure, that advice works, if you own a $15million mansion! But for the average Joe, they wouldn’t do that,” one critic penned. “So the average person on an average income is supposed to go out and buy a bunch of lamps and then try and find somewhere to store them.. give me a break,” another added.
There was another big surprise for Meghan’s fans just last week when she announced she was changing the name of her lifestyle brand from American Riviera Orchard to As Ever.
In a video shared on Instagram on 18 February, Meghan explained: “The cat’s out of the bag. I’m shocked we’ve kept this a secret for so long. In two weeks my show is coming out, which I’m so excited for. And also my business, which I think there has been a lot of curiosity about.
“Last year, I had thought, ‘American Riviera, that sounds like such a great name.’ It’s my neighborhood; it’s a nickname for Santa Barbara, but it limited me to things that were just manufactured and grown in this area.’
“Then Netflix came on, not just as my partner in the show, but as my partner in my business. which was huge. So I thought about it, and I’ve been waiting for a moment to share a name that I had secured in 2022, and this is the moment, and it’s called As Ever.
“Of course, there will be fruit preserves; I think we’re all clear at this point that jam is my jam. But there are so many more products that I just love, and now it’s time to share them with you. So I just can’t wait for you to see it. Thanks guys!”
The news that Netflix had agreed to partner with Meghan on her As Ever brand prompted speculation that items used in her upcoming series would be available to buy as soon as the show hit screens.
However, sources have told PageSix that the lifestyle products – which will include jam, gardening and other homeware items – won’t be ready for sale until ‘a few months’ after With Love, Meghan is released.
Most recently on Instagram, Meghan has shared a photo of her mood board, featuring jam labels and inspiring quotes, her excitement at the approaching launch clear to see.
But the mother-of-two has faced some major setbacks since changing the name of her brand. The mayor of a town on the Spanish island of Mallorca has claimed that Meghan had ‘copied’ its coat of arms for her company’s logo, which shows a palm tree flanked by two hummingbirds. It is understood that Meghan’s new emblem is inspired by her home in California, and is a subtle tribute to her husband Prince Harry.
It has also emerged that the brand also shares its name with a New York-based clothing brand, and that Meghan has been banned from marketing clothing under the ‘As Ever’ label due to its resemblance to a budget-friendly Chinese fashion retailer.
The Duchess launched her lifestyle brand under the name American Riviera Orchard (ARO) last year, distributing 50 jars of strawberry jam to her celebrity friends. However, she was refused a trademark for the brand last year after the US Patent and Trademark Office said geographical locations could not be patented.