Meghan Markle’s holiday special dropped on Netflix today, and the timing could not have been more on-brand. Conveniently, or conspicuously, it arrived on the very morning the King welcomed the German President for a high-profile state visit, complete with pomp, pageantry and global press coverage.
And so, once again, Meghan, 44, timed her “big moment” to collide directly with the Royal Family’s. At this point, it barely registers as a coincidence; it’s practically her signature move. Since stepping away from her role as a working royal, she has repeatedly tried to overshadow the Firm, but each attempt has fallen somewhere between transparent and tragically unsuccessful.
While Princess Catherine and Prince William looked polished and purposeful at Heathrow – duty first, fashion impeccable – Meghan was busy melting chocolate and rearranging ornaments. So here we are. These are my unfiltered thoughts on her festive Netflix drop…
Let’s start with the obvious question: Do we really need a step-by-step guide on how to hang Christmas lights “from the inside” or where to “place ornaments?”
The holiday special felt synthetic, staged, and, I’m sorry to say, painfully bland. I fully respect Meghan’s right to privacy, but the set she chose felt like a Pinterest-board mirage rather than an actual home. If you’re going to film a festive special, why choose a backdrop that resembles California in mid-July? Sun streaming, knitwear on – the whole aesthetic made no sense.
The Advent calendar idea was admittedly sweet. Meghan’s line about “embracing the special touches that bring joy” is something I can get behind; all traditions do begin somewhere.
But for a show that’s supposed to teach you something – cooking, crafting, hosting, my questions is why are there no ingredients, no steps, no instructions on the screen? What is the point of watching if the viewers can’t follow along?
She somehow managed to make reindeer chow look like an engineering project. Completely baffling. Then came the obligatory royal anecdote. While explaining British Christmas crackers to her guest, she remarked, “it actually feels really connective.”
Of course, Meghan couldn’t resist referencing the Royal Family, the very institution she insists she has absolutely, definitively distanced herself from.
She might reject them publicly, yet she cannot go a single project without mentioning her title or sprinkling in a royal memory from her famously brief time at Sandringham.
By the twenty-minute mark, I was struggling. The guests were interesting people, but in this context? Watching them glue, paint and cut ribbons was hardly compelling television.
They looked bored; tennis start Naomi Osaka appeared like she visibly winced at one point. Watching adults do children’s crafts without a single child present was, frankly, bizarre.
Naturally, Prince Harry appeared too – and noticeably more than in previous episodes. His expanding cameos feel like a calculated lifeline, a way to keep Meghan’s “brand” afloat through familiarity.
Then came the segment mentioning her mother, Doris Ragland. Clearly intended to project unity, warmth and a picture-perfect Californian domestic bliss. But it felt over-rehearsed, as though the entire episode existed to send a message rather than offer entertainment, skill or authenticity.
In the end, this holiday special wasn’t about cooking, crafting or festive hosting. It was about Meghan reminding the world she’s still here, still sparkling in soft-focus lighting, still trying to shape her narrative – even if the execution left viewers wondering what, exactly, the narrative was meant to be.
