Royal Fans Call Out Meghan Markle for ‘Copying’ Kate Middleton With Her Latest Move: 'She's Only...'
Shortly after announcing her new multi-year deal with Netflix on August 11, Meghan Markle released the trailer for Season 2 of her cooking show, With Love, Meghan. The announcement quashed rumors that her five-year contract with the streaming giant was in jeopardy. Alongside the trailer, Markle revealed a special Christmas episode, which drew sharp criticism from royal fans. Critics argued that her festive installment closely copies Kate Middleton’s long-standing tradition of hosting an annual Christmas carol service on ITV1.
View this post on Instagram
The new season of With Love, Meghan is set to premiere on August 26, with a Christmas special titled With Love, Meghan: Holiday Celebration. As reported by the Daily Mail, the announcement drew pointed comparisons to Middleton’s festive productions, including her 2019 collaboration with Mary Berry on a seasonal cookery program and her annual carol service, Royal Carols: Together at Christmas, broadcast on ITV1 each December 24. The Season 2 trailer shows Markle cooking, crafting, and hosting celebrity guests such as Chrissy Teigen, Tan France, José Andrés, and Jay Shetty. Royal fans criticized the Duchess, accusing her of ripping off the Princess's festive ideas and attempting to upstage her during the holidays.
After Markle announced her Christmas special episode, fans took to X (Formerly Twitter) to point out the apparent imitation. A critic slammed, "For Markle to air a 'Christmas Special' when she knows that her sister in law has been airing one that’s a pretty big deal for almost 5 years feels like more coattail riding." In a similar vein, another commented, "She's only doing a Christmas special to try and compete with Catherine's Christmas carol service." A netizen opined, "Rachel has had no original thoughts and is always trying to upstage the RF." As the comments poured in, a royal watcher argued, "They are not even close to being similar though, 1 is a concert, the other 1 is home decor and food, they really shouldn't be compared."
Echoing the netizens' fury, royal expert Kinsey Schofield claimed that Markle was trying to 'hijack' the whole holiday season. She told The Mirror, "Catherine’s carol concert is about unity, love, and hope. She arrives with her family, with a sense of togetherness and faith. In contrast, Meghan’s Christmas special feels more like a branding opportunity." She continued, "Without the warmth of family or shared tradition, it plays less as a holiday celebration and more as a commercial venture. When placed side by side, Catherine’s feels authentic and meaningful, while Meghan’s risks seeming transactional."
According to PEOPLE, the Duchess of Sussex released a statement announcing the renewal of her new Netflix deal with Archewell Productions. It read, "We're proud to extend our partnership with Netflix and expand our work together to include the As ever brand. My husband and I feel inspired by our partners who work closely with us and our Archewell Productions team to create thoughtful content across genres that resonates globally and celebrates our shared vision." Her lifestyle brand, As ever, developed in partnership with the streaming giant, will continue expanding into new product categories.