Last week, thousands entered the apricot preserve, homemade honey, and edible flower-filled world of With Love, Meghan. But as her new show makes waves on Netflix, the Duchess of Sussex is well and truly back in the spotlight – leaving Prince Harry on the sidelines.
Viewers were glued to Meghan, 43, and her jam-making skills on the highly anticipated show, with those loving and loathing it coming in about equal. ‘Meghan Markle’s show is such treat. It’s the show you watch for comfort with your wine glass and a dream,’ wrote one viewer, while another disagreed, saying, ‘I’ve watched the first episode and I‘ve never felt less inspired.’
Despite mixed reviews, the show quickly climbed the streaming giant’s charts. It entered the Top 10 Most Watched Shows on the streaming platform in the UK and US within 24 hours, which is bound to have thrilled those involved in the Sussex’s £70million deal. And according to the star of the show herself, With Love, Meghan has proven fruitful for the couple’s personal life, too. Opening up during a recent interview with People magazine, Meghan shared, ‘My husband met me when I had [my lifestyle blog] The Tig, and I see this spark in his eye when he sees me doing what I was doing when we first met. It’s almost like a honeymoon period again, because it’s exactly how it was in the beginning.’
However, we’re told Meghan’s passion for the project – along with her commitment to promoting it on her newly-active Instagram account – has become the subject of the couple’s rows, with Prince Harry feeling ignored. ‘Meghan went so long without really looking at social media. She and Harry had their account and updated it occasionally, but it was a very hands-off approach. So, for her to now suddenly be back in full Instagram mode is a huge shock for Harry,’ says an insider. ‘Seeing her followers going up has put a smile back on Meghan’s face, but it’s also addictive. She’s checking her phone constantly and she’s on it morning, noon, and night. Harry’s managed to get her to silence the notifications, so he doesn’t have to hear them pinging, but that hasn’t stopped her. He understands that she needs social media for her brand, but he’s concerned with how quickly it’s taking over her life. He wishes she’d put the phone down, and he’s ready for a digital detox.’
The Martha Stewart-style series saw Meghan Markle – or Meghan Sussex, as she reminded pal Mindy Kaling – invite viewers into her daily life. In one episode, Meghan showed viewers how to host their own children’s party, before arranging flowers and making dog-friendly biscuits in another. The show also gave a glimpse into never-before-seen snapshots of Meghan’s Montecito life – including time spent with son Archie, five, and daughter Lilibet, three. Revealing that Lilibet ‘does a little sway’ when eating something she loves, Meghan revealed that Archie also shares her love for food – describing how he once caught two trout that the family ate for dinner. These once-rare glimpses into the Sussex children are becoming a common sight, with the two young royals appearing more regularly on Meghan’s Instagram, albeit with their faces never shown.
But while the Duchess is loving her influencer lifestyle, we’re told Harry has had enough of her screentime – even hoping to hire in some help to get his wife back. ‘Harry doesn’t understand why the handling of the account can’t just be passed over to a social media expert,’ reveals our source. ‘That way, it’s not a daily focus for Meghan. She can check in once a week with a strategy meeting and be done with it. To be honest, he’d love to see her take social media apps off her phone altogether.’
They add, ‘As it stands now, she’s on Instagram at any spare moment checking her engagement and scrolling. Harry feels she’s only present half of the time – and it’s concerning because he knows how unhealthy this habit is. He’s really missing the days when she didn’t have social media, and this sudden change is proving hard to adjust to.’