Jan. 23, 2026

"Complete Waste Of Money" - Few Watching Meghan Markle as Netflix Numbers Tanked

"Complete Waste Of Money" - Few Watching Meghan Markle as Netflix Numbers Tanked

Meghan Markle’s Netflix lifestyle series With Love, Meghan has quietly flopped, pulling in roughly two million views in its second season and landing outside the streamer’s top one thousand shows, a drop of more than sixty percent from its debut.

Critics pile on, with a celebrity chef calling the show dull, uninspired and a “complete waste of money,” while reports suggest Meghan is scrambling to salvage the brand with holiday specials. At the same time, the Sussexes are said to be pivoting toward a glossy rom-com movie deal at Netflix, exposing fresh tension at home as Harry reportedly recoils from Hollywood, hates the optics and resents being turned into part of a marketing strategy. Add staff churn, social media backlash and claims Meghan is increasingly featuring the children to drive engagement, and the picture emerging is of a brand chasing attention while the audience steadily drifts away.

Palace Intrigue is your daily royal family podcast, diving deep into the modern-day drama, power struggles, and scandals shaping the future of the monarchy.

Hear our new show "Crown and Controversy: Prince Andrew" here.


Check out "Palace Intrigue Presents: King WIlliam" here.

👑 Follow our hit series Crown and Controversy! Season 1 and 2 are fully available now for everyone. Season 3 has new episodes every Sunday on the regular feed. GET THE FULL SEASON 3 BEFORE REGULAR LISTENERS as a subscriber! Hit that "UNINTERRUPTED LISTENING" Banner on the top of the Apple player. AND listen to Crown and Controversy "NORWAY'S ROYAL REBELS" here and get the full season as a premium subscriber now. 

👑 The Palace Intrigue Social Hub is Live! Join the conve

WEBVTT

1
00:00:03.200 --> 00:00:12.359
Calorogus Shark Media, Hello and welcome to ballast Intrigue. Aam

2
00:00:12.400 --> 00:00:15.960
your host Mark Francis. Meghan has suffered a fresh setback

3
00:00:16.000 --> 00:00:19.679
after the second season of her Netflix lifestyle series failed

4
00:00:19.679 --> 00:00:23.920
to attract a significant audience. Viewing figures. Show with Love

5
00:00:24.000 --> 00:00:27.679
Megan drew roughly two million views between July and December,

6
00:00:27.719 --> 00:00:32.280
placing it outside Netflix's top one thousand most watched programs

7
00:00:32.280 --> 00:00:34.920
and representing a drop of more than sixty percent from

8
00:00:34.960 --> 00:00:39.479
its initial run. According to reporting by the Telegraph, the

9
00:00:39.520 --> 00:00:44.000
show ranked oney and sixteen overall, despite extensive promotion and

10
00:00:44.439 --> 00:00:48.240
celebrity appearances. The first season had also struggled, reaching just

11
00:00:48.280 --> 00:00:52.119
over five million views, a performance comparable to repeat airings

12
00:00:52.159 --> 00:00:55.479
of Downton Abbey, which premiered more than a decade ago,

13
00:00:55.679 --> 00:00:59.159
and trailing reruns of Suits, the program that originally brought

14
00:00:59.200 --> 00:01:03.280
Megan international recognition. Some reports indicate Meghan is in talks

15
00:01:03.280 --> 00:01:06.719
with Netflix to try to save the show, perhaps through

16
00:01:06.799 --> 00:01:13.239
holiday specials. Celebrity chef Jemison Stocks launched a public attack

17
00:01:13.319 --> 00:01:15.879
on Meghan's Netflix cooking series amid reports it were not

18
00:01:15.920 --> 00:01:19.040
returned for a third season. Stocks, who was previously cooked

19
00:01:19.040 --> 00:01:21.959
for King Charles works with the Prince's Trust and recently

20
00:01:21.959 --> 00:01:25.879
received a Culinary Excellence Award presented by Carol Vorderman said

21
00:01:25.920 --> 00:01:29.760
the reported acting of With Love Meghan was inevitable. The

22
00:01:29.840 --> 00:01:32.159
numbers speak for themselves. It was a disaster, not only

23
00:01:32.159 --> 00:01:34.799
for Meghan's brand, but also for Netflix. It proved to

24
00:01:34.840 --> 00:01:37.159
be a complete waste of money with absolutely no return

25
00:01:37.239 --> 00:01:40.680
on investment. The outcome was hardly surprising, given that they

26
00:01:40.719 --> 00:01:42.799
filmed the first two seasons back to back. In the

27
00:01:42.840 --> 00:01:45.920
first season was already a complete flop. It had the

28
00:01:46.000 --> 00:01:48.799
potential to last for many seasons, but unfortunately it was

29
00:01:48.959 --> 00:01:52.480
unbelievably bad. The only reason it received so much height

30
00:01:52.640 --> 00:01:55.079
was because of who she is, not because of her abilities.

31
00:01:55.319 --> 00:01:58.799
What she was teaching and showing people was honestly quite pathetic, dull,

32
00:01:59.159 --> 00:02:02.760
and up buying. I think the audiences are growing tired

33
00:02:02.799 --> 00:02:05.280
of her, not just her brands, but her moaning and

34
00:02:05.400 --> 00:02:09.319
constant self indulgent bullshit. People can see through her, and

35
00:02:09.360 --> 00:02:12.800
the people see through her. I find it really hard

36
00:02:12.800 --> 00:02:15.439
to believe that Netflix would choreograph and create such a

37
00:02:15.479 --> 00:02:19.199
bad show. Her fingerprints are all over the crime. I

38
00:02:19.240 --> 00:02:21.960
believe this is highly damaging because it demonstrates that being

39
00:02:22.000 --> 00:02:24.639
famous doesn't guarantee success or a hit. If you put

40
00:02:24.639 --> 00:02:26.800
someone with no talent in front of the audience, people

41
00:02:26.840 --> 00:02:30.039
will quickly see through it. Looking ahead, he suggested Meghan's

42
00:02:30.080 --> 00:02:33.759
focus would now shift fully to her lifestyle venture. I

43
00:02:33.800 --> 00:02:35.919
believe she will continue with her brand since she has

44
00:02:36.039 --> 00:02:38.719
vested a lot and it's too far along to change course.

45
00:02:39.280 --> 00:02:41.599
Perhaps she can con another network to pay her an

46
00:02:41.639 --> 00:02:45.439
exorbitant amount for less than mediocre content. Either way, I'm

47
00:02:45.439 --> 00:02:47.960
not losing any sleep over whether she can afford to eat.

48
00:02:49.680 --> 00:02:51.840
Harry and Meghan are reported to be developing a new

49
00:02:51.879 --> 00:02:55.159
Netflix film, moving further into mainstream Hollywood territory, with an

50
00:02:55.240 --> 00:02:59.000
adaptation of the twenty eighteen romance novel The Wedding and

51
00:02:59.120 --> 00:03:02.479
Date by a best selling author, Jasmin Guillory. The story

52
00:03:02.520 --> 00:03:04.960
centers on two strangers who meet in an elevator before

53
00:03:05.000 --> 00:03:07.599
embarking on what the book describes as a fun and flirty,

54
00:03:07.719 --> 00:03:11.400
romantic journey. The project will be produced through the couple's company,

55
00:03:11.479 --> 00:03:15.280
Archwall Productions. Following the Sussex's signing a new first look

56
00:03:15.360 --> 00:03:19.840
deal with Netflix's last August, an insider told Heat magazine

57
00:03:19.960 --> 00:03:22.360
there is so much writing on this movie being a success.

58
00:03:22.479 --> 00:03:24.759
Megan is saying this is a make or break time,

59
00:03:24.800 --> 00:03:27.680
and she wants all hands on deck. She feels like

60
00:03:27.680 --> 00:03:29.840
they've finally got a real shot at making a huge hit,

61
00:03:30.159 --> 00:03:32.319
and if this movie does as well as people are predicting,

62
00:03:32.360 --> 00:03:36.039
it could dig them out of their slump. However, the

63
00:03:36.080 --> 00:03:39.639
report suggests the project has exposed growing differences between the couple,

64
00:03:39.719 --> 00:03:42.439
particularly when it comes to Harry's appetite for Hollywood. The

65
00:03:42.439 --> 00:03:45.240
Insider said Harry is experiencing a meltdown over attaching his

66
00:03:45.319 --> 00:03:47.639
name to what the described as of Phil good Flick,

67
00:03:47.960 --> 00:03:52.159
adding that he has become increasingly disillusioned with the entertainment industry.

68
00:03:52.360 --> 00:03:54.319
It's not just that Harry wants to put his energy

69
00:03:54.360 --> 00:03:57.759
into his causes. His family situation weighs on him, and

70
00:03:57.800 --> 00:04:00.680
the heaviness of it makes him much lesser patient with

71
00:04:00.800 --> 00:04:04.319
other things, particularly things he views us shallow. The last

72
00:04:04.319 --> 00:04:05.919
thing he wants to do right now is to get

73
00:04:05.960 --> 00:04:08.120
into his suit to kiss up to a bunch of

74
00:04:08.120 --> 00:04:10.759
Hollywood types. He does it for Megan's sake, but it's

75
00:04:10.840 --> 00:04:13.159
usually with a lot of reluctance, and it's not something

76
00:04:13.240 --> 00:04:16.439
he's proud of. The source adds Harry's lack of enthusiasm

77
00:04:16.560 --> 00:04:18.759
is driving her crazy. From Meghan's point of view, it's

78
00:04:18.759 --> 00:04:21.399
going to be beyond aggravating that he's pushing back like this.

79
00:04:21.879 --> 00:04:24.319
She's working a butt off trying to create income streams

80
00:04:24.319 --> 00:04:27.399
for them, and he's turning his nose up. She's sure

81
00:04:27.399 --> 00:04:29.480
that if he were to throw himself into the Hollywood

82
00:04:29.519 --> 00:04:32.759
game the way she has, then they'd be way more successful.

83
00:04:32.959 --> 00:04:35.600
And it's true, Harry is bored stiff by Hollywood and

84
00:04:35.639 --> 00:04:37.839
the whole industry. He doesn't want to go beggingto a

85
00:04:37.839 --> 00:04:40.480
bunch of phonies. He does see that is beneath him.

86
00:04:40.839 --> 00:04:43.040
Just look at the fuss he kicked up after Chris

87
00:04:43.120 --> 00:04:45.519
Jenna shared a pick of him at a party. She

88
00:04:45.639 --> 00:04:47.800
was made to take it down the inside who explains

89
00:04:48.199 --> 00:04:51.439
they're publicist. Meredith Mainz left right after that. She's the

90
00:04:51.439 --> 00:04:54.279
eleventh one they've burned through so far, which is a

91
00:04:54.759 --> 00:04:57.360
terrible look. And people are still chattering about how they

92
00:04:57.480 --> 00:05:01.560
can't keep staff and how toxic things are. Harry hates

93
00:05:01.639 --> 00:05:03.920
that sort of talk going around. It makes him want

94
00:05:03.920 --> 00:05:06.319
to stay out of the spotlight even more. The big

95
00:05:06.319 --> 00:05:09.160
social media push Meghan's been on hasn't helped. That's a

96
00:05:09.240 --> 00:05:12.519
huge sticking point for him. The source says he's complained

97
00:05:12.560 --> 00:05:14.560
to his friends that he's losing control of the narrative

98
00:05:14.639 --> 00:05:16.480
of his own life and that he's being turned into

99
00:05:16.480 --> 00:05:20.560
this marketing strategy. People analyze the optics of everything he does.

100
00:05:20.959 --> 00:05:22.800
It drives him up the wall, he says, his sake

101
00:05:22.839 --> 00:05:26.160
of feeling like he has to perform now. The source

102
00:05:26.160 --> 00:05:28.480
says getting Harry on board with his latest project could

103
00:05:28.519 --> 00:05:31.920
be one resolution Meghan may struggle to keep. Harry isn't

104
00:05:32.000 --> 00:05:34.839
an easy character. Once he's got his back up about something,

105
00:05:35.000 --> 00:05:37.079
he can be very stubborn, and he does seem very

106
00:05:37.120 --> 00:05:40.959
set on this new anti Hollywood stance. It's not going

107
00:05:41.000 --> 00:05:43.279
to be easy for Meghan to talk him out of it.

108
00:05:44.000 --> 00:05:50.120
More palacing, just a moment. In The Express, a Licia

109
00:05:50.399 --> 00:05:53.759
Liberty writes, as someone who has spent years analyzing Meghan

110
00:05:53.800 --> 00:05:56.399
Michael's public image, her late US move on social media

111
00:05:56.439 --> 00:06:00.399
says more than any interview ever could. The Duchess's carefully

112
00:06:00.480 --> 00:06:04.920
timed post was not spontaneous or sentimental. It was strategic.

113
00:06:05.399 --> 00:06:08.240
It proves once again that attention, not privacy, remains a

114
00:06:08.319 --> 00:06:11.839
driving force behind her every decision, and the more her

115
00:06:11.839 --> 00:06:15.399
influence wanes, the more deliberate these moments appear to become.

116
00:06:16.079 --> 00:06:18.040
But what struck me most was how her children are

117
00:06:18.040 --> 00:06:22.240
now being quietly woven into her social media strategy. Earlier

118
00:06:22.319 --> 00:06:24.879
this week, Megan shared images from a family trip to

119
00:06:24.879 --> 00:06:27.279
the zoo, with Archie taking center stage as he fed

120
00:06:27.360 --> 00:06:30.879
rhinos and explored the space. While their faces were hidden

121
00:06:30.920 --> 00:06:36.519
and angles Titling controlled. The storytelling was unmistakable. Family content sells,

122
00:06:36.560 --> 00:06:39.759
and Megan knows it. For years she has insisted on

123
00:06:39.800 --> 00:06:43.399
fiercely protecting her children's privacy, yet their presence online is

124
00:06:43.399 --> 00:06:48.160
becoming increasingly frequent and prominent. You can obscure faces while

125
00:06:48.160 --> 00:06:50.720
still placing children at the heart of a narrative. In

126
00:06:50.759 --> 00:06:52.720
my view, it's only a matter of time before that

127
00:06:52.759 --> 00:06:55.480
protection loosens further and the children are brought more fully

128
00:06:55.480 --> 00:06:58.279
into the public eye. Megan would no doubt market it

129
00:06:58.279 --> 00:07:01.680
as a natural progression, pointing to her own beginnings in

130
00:07:01.720 --> 00:07:05.279
acting as proof that the path is organic rather than orchestrated.

131
00:07:06.000 --> 00:07:08.160
Harry's role has also evolved. He is now a regular

132
00:07:08.240 --> 00:07:11.399
fixture of Megan's social media peering and candid style images,

133
00:07:11.439 --> 00:07:14.959
and always referred to pointedly as my husband. All of

134
00:07:15.000 --> 00:07:19.360
this sits awkwardly alongside the Sussex's original promise of privacy. Instead,

135
00:07:19.399 --> 00:07:23.199
what we are seeing as calculated visibility, nostalgia driven posts,

136
00:07:23.680 --> 00:07:26.480
carefully framed moments in a husband reposition is part of

137
00:07:26.519 --> 00:07:30.279
the narrative. Meghan's latest move doesn't suggest a retreat from attention.

138
00:07:30.639 --> 00:07:34.680
It proves once again that she is chasing it. In

139
00:07:34.720 --> 00:07:37.759
The Royalist, Tom Sykes commented on Meghan's use of children

140
00:07:37.800 --> 00:07:41.399
in social media, observing, despite Harry's attacks on the media,

141
00:07:41.480 --> 00:07:44.920
Meghan and Harry run a significant pr operation like spending

142
00:07:45.040 --> 00:07:47.560
hundreds of thousands of dollars with the explicit aim of

143
00:07:47.600 --> 00:07:52.079
placing stories in the press that complicates principled opposition to

144
00:07:52.319 --> 00:07:56.560
media intrusion. My discomfort around Harry's case stems less from

145
00:07:56.560 --> 00:07:59.199
the merits of individual allegations and more from the contradiction.

146
00:07:59.279 --> 00:08:02.959
At its core. The very behaviors Harry condemns, the construction

147
00:08:03.040 --> 00:08:06.360
of a family brand, the management of happy family narratives,

148
00:08:06.360 --> 00:08:09.399
and the exposure of children without their consent are now

149
00:08:09.480 --> 00:08:13.000
being repeated with his own household in front of our eyes.

150
00:08:13.560 --> 00:08:15.839
Yeah there you have it to email us addresses the

151
00:08:15.920 --> 00:08:18.800
palace intrigue at a gmail dot com. Please follow us

152
00:08:18.800 --> 00:08:22.199
on Spotify, Apple or the app of your choice, and

153
00:08:23.680 --> 00:08:26.560
join us on Facebook, Instagram or the social media sites.

154
00:08:26.720 --> 00:08:28.839
I Mark Francis my thanks to John McDermott. This is

155
00:08:28.959 --> 00:08:30.920
Palace Intrigue and good terms.