In a move that has reignited criticism of her perceived lack of relatability, Meghan Markle is inviting Netflix viewers into her world with her upcoming cooking and lifestyle series *With Love, Meghan*. The twist? The “home” featured in the series isn’t her own $14.65 million Montecito mansion but a lavish $8 million farmhouse just down the road.
The farmhouse, owned by philanthropists Tom and Sherrie Cipolla, offers a picture-perfect backdrop with its sprawling avocado and lemon groves and high-end interior design. Markle, 43, reportedly chose the location to cultivate a “rustic” and “relatable” vibe. However, critics say this attempt to connect with everyday viewers has backfired spectacularly.
The Cipolla property boasts four bedrooms, a designer kitchen outfitted with a $19,000 Thermador range, and luxury finishes like $750 copper pans and $80 chopping boards. It’s a far cry from the simplicity Markle seems to promise in the show’s trailer, where she talks about “elevating the ordinary” and making beauty accessible to all.
This isn’t the first time Markle and Prince Harry have leaned on borrowed settings for their media projects. Their 2022 Netflix docuseries, *Harry & Meghan*, prominently featured interviews filmed at a nearby $30 million estate rather than their own Montecito mansion, which spans nine bedrooms and 16 bathrooms. Critics argue that this strategy only highlights the disconnect between the couple’s public image and their private reality.
“If this series were filmed in her own home, it might have felt more authentic,” an insider told *The Daily Mail*. Instead, Markle’s choice of the Cipolla farmhouse, complete with coordinated Le Creuset cookware priced at $225 per piece, underscores what many see as an ongoing “relatability problem.”
Even the show’s content seems detached from everyday life. Scenes of Markle plating caprese appetizers on $40 handcrafted plates or mixing cocktails in a $345 Parisian salad bowl feel more like a high-end lifestyle advertisement than an attempt to connect with a public facing real economic hardships.
The timing of Markle’s latest endeavor couldn’t be more contentious. With wars raging abroad, terror attacks making headlines, and Americans struggling to make ends meet, critics argue that *With Love, Meghan* feels tone-deaf.
Conservative commentator Meghan McCain pulled no punches, lambasting Markle on X (formerly Twitter):
“Now that she wants to be American again instead of British aristocracy, what she seems to forget is Americans want real, raw, uncensored,” McCain wrote. “We are a country in rage, uncertainty, and intensity right now. This concept is ill-advised.”
McCain suggested Markle focus on meaningful efforts, such as addressing food insecurity in low-income neighborhoods, instead of curating a highly polished image. “This is why the world doesn’t like you,” McCain added, calling the project “completely and utterly tone-deaf to the moment.”
Markle’s transition to lifestyle content comes on the heels of high-profile setbacks, including the cancellation of her Spotify podcast *Archetypes* and the scrapping of her Netflix animated series *Pearl*. Even her ambitious American Riviera Orchard brand, which was supposed to focus on home, garden, and food products, has faced legal and logistical hurdles.
With her latest project, Markle’s team insists she aims to share personal moments and promote “joy over perfection.” Celebrity guests like Mindy Kaling, Abigail Spencer, and even Prince Harry make appearances, joining Markle in activities like flower arranging and honey harvesting.
Yet, the duchess’s critics remain unconvinced. Montecito neighbor Richard Mineards accused Markle of failing to engage with the local community, and skepticism continues to mount about her ability to resonate with everyday Americans.
The series is part of Meghan and Harry’s $100 million deal with Netflix, raising expectations for profitability and cultural impact. While the couple frames the project as a way to connect with audiences on a personal level, the opulence on display may undermine that goal.
In the trailer, Markle declares, “We’re not in the pursuit of perfection; we’re in the pursuit of joy.” But for many Americans, the joy of cooking doesn’t involve $750 pans or designer salad bowls—it’s about feeding their families in challenging times.
As Markle attempts to redefine her public image, she may need to reevaluate whether her brand of aspirational living aligns with the realities of those she hopes to inspire. For now, *With Love, Meghan* seems poised to deepen the divide between the duchess and her audience rather than bridge it.
