Meghan Markle’s cooking show, *With Love, Meghan*, has finally premiered, and it’s as "authentic" as her meticulously curated public image. She promised an intimate, at-home experience, but it turns out that "home" isn’t exactly what it seems. Instead of filming in the Montecito mansion she shares with Prince Harry and their children, Meghan opted for a rented $5 million estate just two miles away—the Solas Family Estate. Because nothing says "down-to-earth" like borrowing a sprawling, gated property from one of Montecito’s wealthiest families.
The estate spans eight acres of avocado and lemon groves—a picturesque setting that’s supposed to make her cooking look more relatable. Inside, the dream kitchen features a $115,000 Thermador range, a $450 Vitamix blender, and copper pans likely worth more than most people’s monthly rent. But let’s not kid ourselves; this isn’t about real cooking. It’s about aesthetics.
Meghan’s show includes a cameo from Mindy Kaling, because what’s a cooking show without a celebrity friend pretending to enjoy a carefully staged meal? Meghan’s cooking style, if you can call it that, seems more about stirring up Instagram-worthy moments than actual food. The kitchen resembles a Pinterest board brought to life, not a place where anyone would whip up a genuine home-cooked meal.
As for her children? They’re conveniently absent, likely at home with a nanny, while Meghan "plays house" in someone else’s garden. There are vague references to milkshakes and family moments, but no actual appearances from Archie or Lilibet. Heaven forbid an unscripted cameo disrupt the carefully constructed fantasy.
To sell the illusion of authenticity, Meghan borrows not just the garden and kitchen but an entire narrative. Meanwhile, the real domestic life happens off-camera, far removed from this rented palace. The disconnect is almost laughable. How can she claim to be relatable when she isn’t even cooking in her own kitchen, let alone making a genuine home-cooked meal?
It’s all a show—staged from start to finish. The most genuine thing about *With Love, Meghan* might be how fake it all feels. This is, after all, a woman who could have embraced the royal lifestyle—palaces, traditions, and the perks of monarchy—but instead chose to pivot to Netflix, pedaling cooking advice from a rented estate. Why bother with actual authenticity when you can rent a gorgeous property and pretend?
The entire production feels like another chapter in Meghan’s ongoing saga of image management. Every detail—the house, the garden, the cookware, the celebrity guest list—is perfectly staged. It’s as if she’s trying to channel Martha Stewart without understanding the hard work and authenticity that made Stewart a household name. Martha renovated homes, built businesses, and created something real. Meghan? She’s borrowing other people’s homes and calling it a day.
If you were hoping this cooking show would offer a genuine glimpse into Meghan’s life, think again. What you’re seeing is just another carefully curated performance—a glossy, Instagram-ready facade that’s as staged as the kitchen itself.
