BREAKING: Meghan Markle’s ‘Narcissistic’ Cookery Show Declared a Ratings FLOP—Netflix Pulls the Plug on $100 Million Deal!

In an unexpected turn of events, Netflix has quietly pulled the plug on the Duchess of Sussex’s much-anticipated cookery series, With Love, Meghan, following disastrous ratings that have left even the most ardent supporters shocked. Once hailed as part of the royal couple’s bold ambitions for media dominance, Meghan Markle’s series has been branded a “narcissistic” exercise, widely criticized for its lack of substance and compelling content.

The streaming giant had signed a whopping $100 million deal with Meghan and Harry back in 2020, making waves with promises of high-profile documentaries, podcasts, and entertainment projects. But it seems the couple’s royal sparkle hasn’t translated into success on the small screen. With With Love, Meghan failing to make a significant impact on audiences, Netflix has decided to quietly let the five-year deal expire without renewal, marking the end of the streaming partnership that was meant to launch Project Sussex into the mainstream.

A Cookery Show with a Side of Scandal

The cookery series, featuring Meghan preparing dishes and hosting celebrity guests, was supposed to showcase her “cooking skills” and personal charm. However, what viewers were presented with was a lackluster, uninspiring show that failed to capture attention. At its peak, With Love, Meghan barely scraped into Netflix’s global engagement report at a dismal 383rd place, with only 5.3 million viewers worldwide. This was far behind the likes of reruns of Suits—the legal drama that had made Meghan a household name long before her royal exit.

The criticism didn’t stop there. Media outlets from The Guardian to Twitter exploded with scathing reviews, many branding the show as “boring” and “self-indulgent.” One critic described it as “the sort of gormless lifestyle filler that, had it been made by the BBC, would be used to bulk out episodes of Saturday Kitchen.” Even the infamous Polo documentary, which had been another vanity project for Prince Harry, garnered similarly catastrophic reviews. The docuseries, which followed Harry’s pursuit of polo, drew a mere 500,000 views globally—ranking it 3,442nd out of thousands of shows on Netflix.

No Redemption in Sight for ‘Project Sussex’

Netflix insiders have already pronounced the Sussexes’ once-promising deal as “dead,” with a source close to the streaming platform revealing that the couple’s contract will expire without further fanfare. “They’re letting it expire without drama. There’s no appetite for anything new,” said the insider. The shock decision has sent tremors through the couple’s already shaky media empire, which now faces a complete rethinking of its strategy moving forward.

This isn’t the first time Project Sussex has been dealt a blow. Earlier in 2023, Meghan and Harry’s podcasting venture with Spotify also came crashing down. The $20 million deal for the Archetypes podcast was abruptly terminated, with Spotify executive Bill Simmons labeling the duo “f***ing grifters” in an explosive tirade. While the podcast featured conversations with high-profile celebrities like Serena Williams and Mariah Carey, the criticism from listeners and critics was deafening. Many felt the podcast was nothing more than a platform for Meghan to air her views, often speaking over her guests, as in the now-infamous 11-minute monologue where Serena Williams couldn’t get a word in.

Simmons’ brutal dismissal of the duo left little room for sympathy: “I wish I had been involved in the ‘Meghan and Harry leave Spotify’ negotiation. The f***ing grifters. That’s the podcast we should have launched with them.” His candid words only added fuel to the growing resentment against the couple’s perceived self-serving approach to their public platform.

A Promising Start Turns to Ashes

While The Late Show host Stephen Colbert’s $100 million deal with CBS was canceled under political pressure, the fall of The View and the slow decline of Colbert’s show have left Project Sussex’s demise a symbol of an industry in flux. Their initial Netflix docuseries Harry & Meghan, released in December 2022, was the couple’s biggest hit, shattering Netflix records for documentary viewership. With over 28 million viewers tuning in during its first four days, the docuseries seemed to signal the arrival of a new media force.

In it, Meghan and Harry accused the royal family of “unconscious bias” and accused aides within Buckingham Palace of orchestrating negative press campaigns. The docuseries did what no other royal tell-all had done before—it gave the world a glimpse into the lives of two of the most famous figures in the world. But despite the explosive success of Harry & Meghan, the couple seemed to struggle with follow-through. Their podcast fell flat, their cookery show received little attention, and now their film deals with Netflix hang in limbo.

The Real Question: Is It About Talent or Timing?

The question on everyone’s mind: What went wrong? Is the world simply tired of hearing from the Sussexes? Or did their content fail to live up to the hype they generated?

The answer may lie in the contradiction at the heart of Project Sussex—a desire for relevance and impact, combined with an inability to fully connect with the audience that once adored them. The world watched with fascination as they navigated life after the royal family, but as time went on, it became clear that the couple’s carefully crafted brand of activism and exclusivity wasn’t resonating as strongly with fans. The criticisms leveled against them were often rooted in perceived hypocrisy—preaching about privacy while profiting from the public’s insatiable thirst for intimate details.

Meghan’s penchant for speaking on social issues and advocating for change may have been the driving force behind their success in the beginning, but the failure to pivot and create lasting, impactful content has made it harder for them to hold onto their audience. The buzz of their royal departure has faded, leaving behind the harsh reality of their brand’s growing irrelevance in an ever-changing media landscape.

Where Do They Go From Here?

Now that their Netflix deal is effectively over and their podcasting career has collapsed, what is next for Meghan and Harry? Will they continue to press on with their philanthropic work, or has the public’s curiosity turned into disillusionment?

Project Sussex is at a crossroads, but for now, the world watches with a mixture of disbelief and intrigue as the couple works to reclaim their place in the spotlight. Whether their next move is a stunning comeback or a slow fade into the background remains to be seen. One thing is clear, though—their rise and fall in the media landscape is anything but over. And the world is still waiting to see what comes next.