Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, recently found herself the subject of ridicule after a bizarre moment on her Netflix lifestyle series, *With Love, Meghan*. In a segment that aired on *The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon*, the Duchess’ peculiar habit of transferring pre-packaged pretzels into personalized bags was mocked by Fallon and his sidekick, Steve Higgins.
During a game of “Trivia Night,” Higgins, 61, posed a question to Fallon: “What is the number one question that mystifies scientists?” Fallon’s first guess was “Is there life on another planet?” But Higgins shot that down quickly, revealing the true answer: “Why does Meghan Markle make her own pretzel bags? They don’t know why.” The joke sent the audience into fits of laughter, and Fallon himself chimed in, finding the whole thing amusing. “That’s interesting,” Fallon said. “She takes it from one bag and puts it in another bag, and that confuses people.”
This strange scene from *With Love, Meghan* features Markle transferring Trader Joe’s Peanut Butter Pretzel Nuggets from their original packaging into a new personalized bag for her guest, makeup artist Daniel Martin. While doing this, Markle takes extra care to label the bag, saying, “I know Daniel loves peanut butter, but I’m going to label this anyway, you always want to be conscious if someone has a nut allergy.” After neatly packing the pretzels, she continues, “I’m packing this all up so I can take it home and prep the guest room.”
It didn’t take long for social media to catch wind of the pretzel moment, and the Duchess was quickly derided for what many viewers saw as an absurd and unnecessary act. One Twitter user mocked, “I’m so glad Meghan Markle has a new show on Netflix where I can watch her take pretzels out of a labeled bag and put them into a new bag… then label it. The people’s Martha Stewart!” Another added, “She transferred pretzels from one bag into another like she was splitting the atom.” A particularly scathing comment came from a viewer who remarked, “I have seen hostage videos with more entertainment,” referring to the uninspiring scene of Markle pouring store-bought pretzels into a canister and tying a bow around it.
Despite the ridicule, Markle’s show continues to make waves. *With Love, Meghan* offers the Duchess’ “how-to guide” for hosting and entertaining at her Montecito estate, showcasing her lifestyle choices. Yet, the show has struggled to generate the same enthusiasm as her previous Netflix endeavor, *Harry and Meghan*, which was released in 2022. Critics have slammed the series, calling it “an exercise in narcissism,” but despite the lukewarm reception, Netflix has chosen to renew it for a second season. This, despite the fact that the streaming giant’s initial investment in the Sussexes—a reported $100 million deal—has yet to truly pay off in terms of viewership.
While Markle’s show may not be setting the entertainment world on fire, she has nonetheless found support from some high-profile figures. Actress Gwyneth Paltrow, whose own lifestyle brand Goop has made waves for years, weighed in on Markle’s attempt to break into the lifestyle business. In a recent *Vanity Fair* interview, Paltrow, 52, expressed support for Markle’s ambitions, saying, “Everybody deserves an attempt at everything that they want to try.” Paltrow also described Markle as “really lovely” but admitted she doesn’t know her personally.
However, Markle’s pretzel episode is unlikely to be forgotten any time soon, and the question remains: why would anyone need to transfer pretzels from one bag to another? Is it an act of elegance, or just a confusing and pointless display? Either way, Markle’s Netflix series continues to draw attention, albeit mostly for the wrong reasons. The irony, of course, is that while she may struggle to entertain her viewers, she has still managed to keep herself and her lifestyle at the forefront of public discourse—something Markle likely considers a win, regardless of the laughs at her expense.
As for the rest of us, perhaps we can all learn a lesson from Markle’s approach to hosting: when in doubt, throw some pretzels in a personalized bag, and maybe, just maybe, you’ll find yourself a bit closer to Netflix stardom.
