Meghan’s show IS something new and different.

[AtIusvue]

So we have it wrong. THIS IS an entirely new format for a cookery/lifestyle show. Because it isn’t a cookery/lifestyle show. This is Netflix first foray into the world of informercials and they are doing it in NF style; meaning a big budget and a slight twist.

So With Love, Meghan is a 5hr advert for As ever and Meghan Sussex. But what makes it different; is it has been disguised as a lifestyle show and there’s no direct sales. It’s the soft sell…..very beige and subtle.

So every recipe and story Meghan shares, is designed around an As ever product. Even conversations with friends are designed to either sell Meghan or a product.

For example. In Ep 8, she makes shortbread with edible flowers. A packet mix of shortbread with edible flowers is now on the As ever website. Now on the show, we don’t see her open the box. But what we do see, is her giving a very quick run through of a basic dough recipe and then tell the viewer they can just use shop bought. The majority of the time isn’t spent in the baking, it’s spent on the decorating with edible flowers.
This is by design. All the baked goods she’s shows you on the programme, she says things like ‘I don’t enjoy baking’, ‘I’ve never made doughnuts before’, ‘ I only learned last week to make focaccia’ ‘I don’t like measuring’
So while viewers who are expecting to watch a cookery show, are flummoxed by someone with such little baking skills teaching us- it’s because it’s an advert and she’s selling the idea that the baking part isn’t important. So when the As ever baked goods mixes appear after the advert goes out, people will want to buy. Because they know that even Meghan doesn’t like baking. That it’s ok to skip that part, and focus on the decorating and gifting part.

This is soft selling infomercials. It’s a Netflix/QVC hybrid. She is directly selling you the idea and lifestyle, but softly selling you the products. You find out what these products are, after the show.

More examples-
Ep 1 where she makes an Epsom salt bath mix (As ever TM pending). The honey and ginger tea she shares with her friend Daniel is on the As ever website. Teapots are also intended to be sold. The raspberry jam that she uses in the cake she bakes (which again, is a very basic mix and she runs through quickly- because we know she wants to sell packets of the stuff) is now available in the website. As is the honey she used for the cake syrup.

So Ep 2, where we see Meghan make kids party bags. Included are kids gardening tools (which is under the As ever TM application) a honey stick (TM application ) and plant pots (TM application)

Everything is for sale. When in Ep. 7 Meghan puts shop bought croissants in a basket and decants jam into little ramekins, a quick look at the TM application confirms that these are all items she intends to sell under As ever.

How does the soft sell look?

Take for example the jam on the show. The label isn’t on the jar, so it’s not directly selling the brand, As ever. But it’s the same jar shape and we know that it’s raspberry because the cake is decorated with fresh raspberries on top, indicating the jam used. Or the crepe are served with the jam and fresh raspberry’s. It’s all very subtle. The raspeberry jam product then drops straight after the show.

The stories she shares are designed to sell too. For example; her memory of her gran making apple butter- she has fruit butters under her TM application.

Even conversations with friends are designed to sell not only Meghan (how wonderful she is) but they are designed to introduce products in the As ever line. So in Ep 5 we see Meghan’s friends Kelly and Abby discuss Meghans love of spicy condiments - these are under the As ever TM application. We also see Abby discuss Meghans love of flowers and how she helped her in her floral business. From the TM application, you can see it is As Ever’s intention to sell fresh flowers and plants. It’s also why we are given floral demonstrations with ‘supermarket’ flowers.

Conversations with her friend Vicky too in Ep 7, about how Meghan loves a polished skin look, while making face masks- again, we see As ever intends to sell non medicated skin products from the TM application.

The show is a practical demonstration of how to use her products, but the products are released after the advert. When you cross ref the TM application items with what was seen on screen, you see clearly that everything is designed for a sale. Crockery, candles,baskets, wrapping paper, jam etc.

Another tell that this is an infomercial hybrid, is the fact that they have said more As ever items will be released seasonally. Why? What’s seasonal about honey and ginger tea and crepe mix that it’s to come out in spring? These are store cupboard items, not seasonal products.
What they actually mean is, when a new advert comes out, new products will be introduced and added to the collection.

This is why all the press reviews for the show mean nothing. NF won’t care that’s it’s ridiculed. We have all just watched the advert they wanted us to watch. What they want is for it to translate into sales for As ever. It really doesn’t matter how much critical acclaim the show gets, as it’s just a vehicle for the products.
Additionally, we know from the TM application that As ever wants to enter the podcast world. So her new podcast will be in furtherance to the brand and selling the products. But again, it will be a soft sell, not direct.

So it IS a completely new style of cooking show. It goes beyond product placement but isn’t direct selling. I think meghan and NF think they have been very clever. At some point everyone will figure out these are just adverts and work out that every recipe, conversation and story, is linked to an item that you can buy on the As ever website straight after the show.

She’s not trying to be Martha Stewart, she wants to be the new Kathy Ireland ……Meghan Sussex. That’s why there’s been a name rebrand. It’s trying to copy the Kathys mega brand (huge in the US, unknown here) but direct selling her own products….but in a 2025 Netflix kinda way.

So the purpose of the informercial was to

1- introduce the name Meghan Sussex. That’s why they’ve included the car crash ticking off Mindy got- because at least it got her new brand name in. It’s the new Kathy Ireland.

2- To sell the new Meghan Sussex image. So throughout each episode, her friends fawn over her and tell her how amazing she is at everything- cooking, hosting, flower arrange etc.

3- To soft sell the lifestyle wirh generic, no label products first, then find out what the As ever products are after. I’m sure this is a way to get around not having to list the show as an advertisement. That’s also why the name of the show and her product line are different. So it’s not seen as traditional advertisement.

With her appearance on Drew Barrymore, she’s confirming the new brand name, confirming that she’s this super nice, working mom and that she has products to sell you.

Absolutely shameless and so underhand in my opinion……but it might work.

I just don't really see the relevance. I pointed out that they're the Duke and Duchess of Sussex so they both took on a new name and apparently that wasn't acceptable because there might be something else on her driving licence and who knows what other hairsplitting tediousness. I'll leave you to your fun. Thanks for all the 'help'.

Mon plaisir! 😂

Thank you @BasiliskStare . I am unable to read the article you kindly linked as I am not a DM subscriber.

However, my understanding follows what is said on the Royal Family website, namely:

It was therefore declared in the Privy Council [in 1960] that The Queen's descendants, other than those with the style of Royal Highness and the title of Prince/Princess, or female descendants who marry, would carry the name of Mountbatten-Windsor.

The effect of the declaration was that all The Queen's children, on occasions when they needed a surname, would have the surname Mountbatten-Windsor.

For the most part, members of the Royal Family who are entitled to the style and dignity of HRH Prince or Princess do not need a surname, but if at any time any of them do need a surname (such as upon marriage), that surname is Mountbatten-Windsor.

A proclamation on the Royal Family name by the reigning monarch is not statutory; unlike an Act of Parliament, it does not pass into the law of the land. Such a proclamation is not binding on succeeding reigning sovereigns, nor does it set a precedent which must be followed by reigning sovereigns who come after.

Unless The Prince of Wales chooses to alter the present decisions when he becomes king, he will continue to be of the House of Windsor and his grandchildren will use the surname Mountbatten-Windsor.

So technically, Harry, as a prince and an HRH, has no legal surname, and therefore, arguably, no surname to pass on to Meghan. But if a surname is required by him for any legal reason, it will be Mountbatten Windsor. So, Princess Anne technically had no surname, but for the purposes of marrying Capt Mark Phillips, her name was Anne Mountbatten-Windsor on the (legal) marriage register (in 1973, when the Mountbatten-Windsor name was first used on an official document).

However, MM didn't need a "technical" name pre or post marriage. She was and can still use the legal name "Markle". There is no "need" for her to use Mountbatten-Windsor, a non legal name that doesn't really apply to non blood-line royals.

Using the household names of Edinburgh, Wessex, Cambridge, Wales, Sussex etc isn't anything "official". It's just a an easy bit of shorthand. And obviously shouldn't be used in any official capacity/legal document because that title can change according to status and deaths of royals above them in the line of succession. Eg, upon the death of the Queen, the "Cambridges" became the "Waleses" automatically, and the "Wessexes" became the "Edinburghs" by the latter title being bestowed.

To use Sussex and an official, legal name, they'd all have to change their surnames by deed poll (or the US equivalent), and it would not be a "royal household" title, it will just be a name like "Smith" or "Jones". As for using it in everyday parlance? Well, any of us can use any name we want to use, it's not illegal. But neither is it anything "official" or a "legal" name unless the correct official process to change your name is followed.

I'll also add that you can't force anyone to address you by a name that isn't your legal name. People may do so out of courtesy, but that's all it is. I can't imagine the name "Meghan Sussex" is going to fly 7 years after marriage. Perhaps MM should have made her intentions wrt her surname clearer years ago, and in a more official capacity, not in some little watched Netflix show.

@SpreadingJammyTodgerLove thank you!
That's really detailed and helpful. 👍 😊
Is it true that in the USA, royal titles aren't recognised? If so, do they have to use the Sussex surname?

I'm also wondering how Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet are registered at school.
Perhaps they have a special exemption.

As the above excellent post has mentioned, 'surnames' based on peerage titles are basically an aristocratic tradition rather than a legal convention. And of course these titles are not recognised outside of Britain, so the direct descendants of Philip and Elizabeth go by Mountbatten Windsor.

As I and others have mentioned previously, when William and Kate sued over the topless photos published in a French magazine, the court documents referred to them as 'Monsieur et Madame Mountbatten Windsor'.

Sorry if I’ve inadvertently started a spat. Was not my intention.

Interesting 👍
Thank you!

You haven't, you just asked valid questions. A couple of people on here have been very helpful with the details.

I think the issue here is nobody knows what your point is ?
what’s the relevance ?
a lot of posters here study history, particularly the history of the monarchy, they know more about titles than many of us here , even casual layman like myself who has a general understanding.

I'll also add that you can't force anyone to address you by a name that isn't your legal name. People may do so out of courtesy, but that's all it is. I can't imagine the name "Meghan Sussex" is going to fly 7 years after marriage. Perhaps MM should have made her intentions wrt her surname clearer years ago, and in a more official capacity, not in some little watched Netflix show.

Yes, and the fact that she's now insisting on 'Sussex' nearly 7 years after marriage makes her exasperated eye rolly response to Mindy all the more obnoxious. Mindy should have asked her how the hell she was meant to know when she'd never used that 'surname' before.

What makes it even worse is that Meghan's 'correction' happened when Mindy was really fawning over her. "Who could imagine Meghan Markle eating at Jack in the Box?" I could imagine it. Why not? She was a minor cable TV actress before she got with the 5th in line. Why would she have been 'above' eating in a fast food joint?

No, royal titles aren't recognised in the US, but "Mountbatten-Windsor" isn't a royal title as such, it's just a family name. Sussex is a royall title. Certainly, should Harry wish to take US citizenship, he'd have to relinquish his titles of Prince and Duke of Sussex. I'm not sure what Archie's citizenship status is, but if he needs get US citizenship, he also needs to give up his title of Prince (and anything else he has). Meghan and Lili are already US citizens, so they get to keep their titles regardless, although they should be meaningless by US law.

If Harry was to relinquish his "Prince" title (and his HRH title) and Duke of
Sussex title, he would, as per the above proclamation (as a direct blood descendant of QEII and Prince Phillip), be Harry Mountbatten-Windsor.

Archie and Lily were given the surnames Mountbatten-Windsor upon their births, as they were neither HRHs nor Prince/Princess (so as per the proclamation, if a name was required for legal purposes - in this case, the register of births). Once the queen died, they became prince and princess, so technically stopped having to use a surname. But again, for any legal document, as descendants of QEII and Prince Phillip, they are to use Mountbatten- Windsor.

Edited for SPAG

Excellent @SpreadingJammyTodgerLove! Succinct and clear!!
personally I hate to split hairs but I was finding it rather irritating when people were referring to the titles as a surname!!
silly I know but still, a title is a title, a surname is a surname.

It's not silly, it's true! All the more complicated by the fact they obviously want to use their titles, but choose to live in a Republic.

Thanks again, @SpreadingJammyTodgerLove .
I did wonder about the children at school.

Meghan and Lili are already US citizens, so they get to keep their titles regardless, although they should be meaningless by US law.

They're meaningless even by British law.

Meghan's titles are courtesy titles which she only got through marriage. Lili is a 'blood' princess but legally that doesn't actually mean anything. When Princess Anne had court hearings for speeding, the documents listed her legal status as 'Commoner'.

I know @DelectableMe, but I know others probably are less bothered by inconsistency and I don’t like to be rude and point out that coming in cold and posting things that aren’t factual is either a sign of not being from the U.K. or a serious lack of knowledge.

I've enjoyed watching it so far. Mindless tv at the end of a week and some cute ideas. Cam totally see why she wouldn't have fit into Brit/royal life as she's just not that uptight. Good for her. Easy watching.

I don't think you're rude. (I think others on here have been). I think you like consistency and clarity. The whole titles thing can be very confusing, I used to wonder about Princess Michael of Kent!
If she wants to call herself Meghan Sussex, that's fine. Although Jammy has pointed out the problems in a Republic.

Cam totally see why she wouldn't have fit into Brit/royal life as she's just not that uptight.

Did you miss the bit where she got snippy with her 'friend' for not using her British peerage title as a surname?

That scene will have been shot likely a good few times & likely rehearsed.

I think William and Harry were known colloquially as "Wales" at school (and in the military). They would have been the first grandchildren of QEII and PP to have the need to use the Mountbatten-Windsor name, since the 1960 proclamation, as a "legal" name*, but I am not sure that a school registration is a "legal" document. It's possible that Charles and Diana thought it was a bit much and/or they'd rather their boys used Wales, as certainly the older boy would become Prince of Wales one day and his use of the name Wales would be seamless.

Also, a royal proclamation as to surnames isn't going to be anything that's recognised in the US as binding on them per se. But if by Californian law, a child needs to be registered at school by their legal name, and proof of legal name is whatever is on their birth certificate, passport etc, their registration is going to be Mountbatten-Windsor as pr their legal documents. On a day to day basis, their school may refer to them as Archie and Lily Sussex. Which, as I said above, would all be within the discretion of the parents asking, and the school agreeing, as a courtesy.

*The first grandchildren, Princess Anne's children, had the name "Phillips" after their father, so Mountbatten Windsor was never an issue for them.

I don't think so.

I think she's simply that obnoxious.

😂😂😂She's one of the most uptight people in public life!

I understand that Louise and James were registered as Mountbatten Windsor at school.