Meghan Markle is no stranger to the polarizing perceptions about her, particularly online. The actress-turned-duchess has heard it all and lived to tell the tale. Instead of dwelling on the negativity, she has focused her passions on some projects close to her heart, one of which was her Netflix lifestyle show, With Love, Meghan. The show was hosted by the duchess and followed her and a series of guests as they cooked, gardened, crafted, and conversed.
Despite the fun-filled activities, With Love, Meghan was ultimately met with mixed reviews. Expectedly so, too, since Meghan’s become one of the most scrutinized celebrities of the modern era. However, an inside look into the atmosphere on set with the duchess might change some minds.
The truth about working with Meghan
People magazine released an exclusive piece that interviewed multiple crew members and guest stars from With Love, Meghan, and what they had to say might shock some people. While the world has all its perceptions of the duchess, everybody who spoke to People only had amazing things to say about her.
Director Michael Steed spoke about how he had “a lot of fun” creating the show with Meghan. He spoke about his creative vision for the show and how he encouraged the duchess to embrace imperfections. “I really wanted to embrace and celebrate all of the mistakes and mess and all that good stuff,” he said. He also had a lot to say about the duchess’s personality, calling her “friendly and approachable.”
People also got in touch with an anonymous crew member from the show who shared that Meghan prepared something special for them weekly. One week she brought a coffee cart in the mornings, while, another week, she brought in a shaved ice truck to combat the heat. The crew member noted how, after he mentioned that he had stopped drinking after becoming a father, Meghan had remembered that and commended him on it.
He called Meghan “warm,” “approachable,” and “genuine,” and commented on how willing she was to learn while on set. “She didn’t seem married to any one idea. If something didn’t go perfectly, she was fine with it and moved on to the next thing.” The duchess also made sure that everyone on set got to taste the things that she cooked. When filming wrapped, she gave the crew members a wrap gift- a saute pan from Our Place and a monogrammed spoon that read ‘Thank You, Crew.’
Several of Meghan’s friends also spoke to People, including her makeup artist, Daniel Martin, photographer Jake Rosenberg, Tatcha skincare founder Vicky Tsai, and more. The consensus? The Duchess of Sussex was a joy to be around.
With Love, Meghan’s guest stars speak out
It’s not only the crew of With Love, Meghan that had great things to say about the duchess. Each episode of the show featured at least one guest. These included both friends of Meghan’s, and celebrity guests that she had never interacted with. While we’d expect her friends to have nice words about her, some of the celebrity guests also gave statements to People.
The third episode of the show, titled “Two Kids from L.A.,” saw Meghan bonding with the illustrious chef Roy Choi. In preparation for his visit, she baked him donuts, and the pair bonded over their childhoods in Los Angeles. Speaking about her cooking skills, Choi told People, “She was great. This wasn’t an act, you know? This is something she truly loves to do. She was very natural in the kitchen.”
He was also delighted by her relatability, saying, “She’s the Duchess of Sussex, but before that, she was Meghan from L.A., from Immaculate Heart High School. I could see the genuineness in her, like before her whole life changed. She’s Meghan from the block.” Furthermore, he commended her on the show’s choice to move its release to March in the wake of the L.A. wildfires.
Another new friend the Duchess made was renowned chef and restaurateur Alice Waters. Waters is a pioneer and activist of sustainable agriculture and featured in the finale episode of the show, titled “Feels Like Home.” She and the duchess became fast friends after her time on the show. “We really had a connection. It was deeply heartwarming,” she told People. She shared that Meghan gave her a wrap gift as well– a necklace. Moreover, With Love, Meghan was a true passion project. With a season 2 confirmed, the duchess has some more cooking and bonding in store for viewers.
Published: Mar 12, 2025 09:25 am