Meghan Markle's New Image Is a Far Cry From Her Days Calling Out Sexism on the World Stage, Expert Claims

Meghan Markle is no longer leading global conversations on gender equity — she's leaning into flower sprinkles, shortbread kits, and homey vibes, and according to brand experts, it's a calculated transformation.
The Duchess of Sussex has resurfaced with a notably domestic brand of her own, "With Love, Meghan," a Netflix lifestyle series, and American Riviera Orchard, a product line that includes jams, teas, and baking kits.
Her transition from out-and-proud feminist to soft-focus homemaker has been called out by many, particularly by anyone who heard her 2015 speech at a UN Women event, in which she proclaimed: "I am proud to be a woman and a feminist."
Newsweek's royal correspondent, Jack Royston, observed the dramatic shift in Markle's public image.
"All of a sudden, she went from being the feminist who got angry that women were depicted as only being in the kitchen and then she reinvented herself as the traditional, at-home, in-the-kitchen cooking and hosting kind of image," Royston said, per US Express.
And the strategy appears to be working — the first Birchbox restock of her brand sold out within hours. That's a hibiscus and lemon ginger tea ($12), a crepe kit and cookie mix ($14), and the edible flower sprinkles, which Meghan defended with a laugh during a Time100 summit, "You'd think I'm a little fairy tossing them around all the time... But... they create a little bit of magic that we're all craving in our every day."
Meghan Markle just shared a feminist message that everyone needs to hear.
— Global Citizen ⭕ (@GlblCtzn) March 3, 2018
Take action for girls and women: https://t.co/oznhUtg3aa pic.twitter.com/HxEZk1fwn9
Lifestyle show "With Love, Meghan" is Markle "being the new Martha Stewart," brand expert Nick Ede told the Daily Mail.
"She loves home, she loves entertaining and she wants to show people how to elevate everyday situations."
She and Prince Harry, who signed a multi-year Netflix deal, estimated to be worth $100 million, already have a second season of the show in the works, the report states. The series also reportedly drew in 2.6 million viewers in its first week.
Love is in the details. ✨WITH LOVE, MEGHAN, a new series, premieres 15 January pic.twitter.com/nsRcOscUnv
— Netflix UK & Ireland (@NetflixUK) January 2, 2025
Image Reinvention Amid Staff Shakeups
As Meghan doubles down on her homemaker image, her and Prince Harry's staff have quietly been trimmed. The couple has axed at least 25 employees since stepping down as senior royals in 2020, sources told Page Six. Their comms team was the most recent to be gutted as they look to turn to agency support to cut back on expenses.
Meredith Maines, their chief communications officer, said in a statement, "As the Duke and Duchess's business and philanthropic interests grow, I have made the strategic decision to move toward a more traditional communications structure of specialist agency support."
The couple's deal with Netflix expires this year, and the streamer's interest in right of first refusal arrangements in place of those of exclusive deals is high. Either way, one TV veteran told Page Six, "I can see Meghan's show coming back for a third season, easily. People just love to hate her."
© 2025 Enstarz.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.