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Meghan Markle’s social media revival wasn’t the only thing she had cooking in the kitchen for the new year.
One day after Markle, 43, shared her first post on Instagram in half a decade, the Duchess of Sussex dropped the trailer for her latest collaboration with Netflix, a lifestyle series aptly titled “With Love, Meghan.”
Fans, followers and critics were quick to question her return to the spotlight following her “cringe-worthy” 2025 reel captured by Prince Harry on the beach near their home in the affluent community of Montecito, Calif.
MEGHAN MARKLE RETURNS TO SOCIAL MEDIA AFTER FIVE-YEAR HIATUS
“Has anybody really noticed her absence from Instagram? It’s not exactly as if Meghan and Harry have been out of the limelight over the past few years,” Christopher Andersen, author of “The King,” told Fox News Digital.
“The video itself is so Harry and Meghan – shot in silence by him, showing Meghan running out onto the beach on a cloudy day, then slowly scrawling ‘2025’ in the wet sand before she scampers off. No dialogue, but lots of giggling. Her fans will find it charming. Her detractors will find it cringe-worthy. And the best goes on.”
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Markle offered the rare glimpse into her private life with a 30-second clip shared early Wednesday morning to mark the first day of the new year. She has not been active on the photo and video-sharing site since 2020, around the time she and Prince Harry announced their decision to step back from senior royal responsibilities.
PRINCE HARRY SHUTS DOWN MEGHAN MARKLE SPLIT RUMORS AMID DIVORCE SPECULATION
No caption was necessary for the post as she drew “2025” in the sand before giggling while running through the frame.
Nearly 24 hours later, Markle shared the trailer for her new show with the streaming giant.
“I have been so excited to share this with you,” Markle captioned the post. “I hope you love the show as much as I loved making it. Wishing you all a fantastic new year! Thanks to our amazing crew and the team @netflix. Beyond grateful for the support – and fun!”
Brand expert Eric Schiffer told Fox News Digital that Markle’s latest television stint was a “recipe for ratings disaster.”
“It feels painfully forced,” Schiffer said. “I think it’s proof that not all royals are entertaining. Just looking at it, I was … Is this Netflix or the Montecito Home Shopping Network?”
Prince Harry made a quick cameo between clips of the duchess cooking, gardening and dancing in her kitchen alongside celebrity pals including Mindy Kaling and Roy Choi.
Produced by Markle, the series “reimagines the genre of lifestyle programming, blending practical how-to’s and candid conversation with friends, new and old,” according to Netflix. “Meghan shares personal tips and tricks, embracing playfulness over perfection and highlights how easy it can be to create beauty, even in the unexpected. She and her guests roll up their sleeves in the kitchen, the garden, and beyond, and invite you to do the same.”
Schiffer noted, “Showing cooking tips from someone with a personal chef is not groundbreaking … the least relatable lifestyle show ever.”
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The couple’s multi-year deal with Netflix came to fruition after they stepped away from their royal duties and moved to California in 2020. They first released their bombshell docuseries, “Harry & Meghan,” in 2022. The show earned the biggest one-day audience for any Netflix series since monitoring began in October 2022.
One year later, they followed up with the “Heart of Invictus” docuseries in 2023 and produced “Polo” in 2024.
In February, Netflix’s Chief Content Officer Bela Bajaria said the duo had several projects in the works with the streaming service.
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“They have a couple of unscripted things they’re working on with Brandon [Reigg, Vice President, Nonfiction Series and Comedy Specials at Netflix],” Bajaria said at the Next on Netflix event, per Hello! magazine. “And they actually have like a bunch of development. They have a movie in development, a [scripted] series that they’re working on. So all very early development, with a movie, a TV show and a couple of unscripted shows. But yeah, the movie’s great.”
Brand expert Doug Eldridge questioned Markle’s direction with her own brand narrative heading into the new year.
“In 2025, brands are built via word of mouth and social media; they are sustained by a proven track record of results and solid customer service,” Eldridge said. “For Markle, it leans more on the latter – she has completely lost control of her brand narrative and with it, public perception and sentiment. It’s unclear whether she plans to stay in the media and entertainment industry or whether she wants to plant her flag in the boutique goods space.
“In either case, a return to social media is an absolute must, if for no other reason than to pivot from the waterfall of negative press and public speculation – much of it self-inflicted – in recent years.”
He added, “She’s burned a lot of matches – and arguably even more bridges – over the last couple years, so she’s running out of time and, most importantly, interest, when it comes from the consumer public. Measure twice, cut once, and stick the landing.”