Even International Critics Are Calling Out Meghan Markle’s ‘Tacky’ Netflix Show
Ever since leaving the royal life in 2020, Meghan Markle has tried her best to establish herself in the lifestyle industry. But with scrutiny surrounding every aspect of her life, even this new chapter has proven far from simple. Her new Netflix holiday special, With Love, Meghan: Holiday Celebration, is attracting attention around the globe, though not for the reasons the Duchess of Sussex had hoped. Released on December 3, the episode was supposed to be a warm look at Markle’s festive traditions with her family and friends. Instead, critics from the US, UK, Ireland, and Australia delivered some of the most blistering reviews the Duchess has ever faced since her series first debuted in March 2025.
The Washington Post’s Monica Hesse was probably among the most severe critics of the holiday special. In her write-up for the outlet, she noted that Markle’s on-screen approach continued her “experiment with aggressive hospitality.” She also confessed that no matter how genuine or real the Duchess tries to come across on screen, she felt “irritable toward her.” At one point, Hesse also argued that Markle’s advice wavered between being “so basic as to be condescending” and “so elevated as to be out of touch.”
The Irish Times echoed the same sentiment through contributor Ed Power, who said that the special was “an onslaught of Christmas naffness the awfulness of which seems obvious to everyone except poor Meghan.” He also joked about its “ominous” 56-minute runtime and remarked that Prince Harry appeared “ruddy with embarrassment at being dragged into his wife’s tectonically tacky lifestyle show.” When the first trailer of the special was released in November, body language expert Judi James also observed that Harry seemed like a ‘fish out of water,’ pointing to how uncomfortable he appeared.
While the observations from Ed Power and Judi James both pointed to a similar discomfort on Harry’s part, the reaction from Sky News Australia was no softer. In her assessment, royal commentator Esther Krakue declared the episode “unwatchable.” She continued, “I say this as someone who has painstakingly watched everything she's put out. I cannot overstate how devoid she is of a personality.” On the other hand, 9Honey’s Natalie Oliveri described the episode as “the most un-festive feeling Christmas special ever.” Oliveri noted that she had high expectations, “as Americans tend to do Christmas well… and Meghan is American, it had so much potential. But the hour-long special failed to deliver."
Yet despite the harsh and brutal reviews, critics agreed on one unexpected highlight of the episode: Prince Harry. His brief cameo near the end of the episode was repeatedly described as the ‘saving grace.’ Oliveri added that the Duke of Sussex brought the only genuine spark, while Sky News’s Krakue said, “Harry managed to chew through his leash just in time to make an appearance” to rescue the final minutes. His playful humor, especially his reaction to the “anti-salad,” stood out as one of the most entertaining aspects of the special.