Meghan Markle's Netflix Cooking Show Gets a Curious Update That Is Raising Concerns

Meghan Markle introduced her brand, American Riviera Orchard (ARO), in March to great surprise with an Instagram page and a website that included a waitlist sign-up. Fans were eager to hear about this lifestyle pivot for the Duchess of Sussex which would also include a Netflix cooking show. It’s been quiet since she gifted jars of homemade, limited-edition strawberry jam to her A-list friends, but there is finally an update about her series. 

A source gave the inside scoop to NewsNation about the status of her show and it’s raising some concerns. “She doesn’t know what she’s doing,” they claimed. “She may have shot some episodes for Netflix on her cooking show — but who wants to watch her cooking in a ballgown and an impossibly expensive house? And she still doesn’t have a CEO or anyone to head up that venture.”

The insider noted that they “wouldn’t be shocked if Netflix ends up dropping it — they pull a lot of things they’ve spent money on and pre-shot.” Meghan has been on that side of Netflix before when her animated children’s project, Pearl, was dropped in 2022 just before production began due to the network’s budget cuts. It would be a major disappointment for the Duchess of Sussex because ARO is a big part of her image rebrand.

The critical view of her upcoming show is much different than what The Daily Beast reported in July. Their source gushed about the production, sharing that “it all went well, and it is in the can.” The show, per the April press release from Harry and Meghan, was expected to “celebrate the joys of cooking & gardening, entertaining, and friendship.” Netflix rented a Montecito mansion to film the series and an OK! Magazine insider shared that “Meghan really enjoyed being back in front of the camera.”

She was totally in her element, demonstrating her skills in the kitchen and sharing tips on how to be the perfect hostess,” they added. PR consultant Mark Borkowski told The Daily Beast that he thinks Meghan should take her time to launch her new brand because there is a trendsetter. 

If she has listened and learned and is comfortable in this new role as a kind of sub-Martha Stewart, sub-Oprah, this could be a relaunch to something new and interesting,” he explained. “She brings eyeballs and that means there is a long line of people who would still want to align with her. She will always attract somebody who will want to leverage her brand.”

It doesn’t look like ARO, and her cooking show will get the 2024 showcase that fans expected, but maybe 2025 is the big year for the Duchess of Sussex.  

Before you go, click here to see more of Meghan Markle & Prince Harry’s milestones since leaving the royal family.