Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

The royal family

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

The reviews are coming in for Meghan's podcast 'Confessions of a Female Founder'ions of a

1000 replies

LaBarruci · 08/04/2025 16:54

Not listened to the first in Meghan's podcast series, a conversation with the founder of Bumble, Whitney Wolfe Heard, but the Mail has collated all the press reviews so far, with links. The Guardian, Telegraph and i-Paper are unanimous: the podcast is cloyingly dreadful.

The reviews for Meghan Markle's latest podcast are in! Two stars for Confessions of a Female Founder https://mol.im/a/14584193 via https://dailym.ai/android

OP posts:
Thread gallery
39
ScarlettOYara · 10/04/2025 08:14

RedRosesPinkLilies · 10/04/2025 00:28

The sad thing is the RF do seem to be changing and modernising- and Meghan/ Harry might have enjoyed it more.

But they have said too many hurtful things for any family to trust them. The RF is too public an institution to risk being burned like this again.

I would agree. Although I think Harry and Meghan would not like any modernising. They are very Royal indeed with the crown monogram, coat of arms, use of titles, titled children. I think they liked all the trappings of royalty and try to keep them going.

ScarlettOYara · 10/04/2025 08:18

Tbrh · 10/04/2025 03:09

At least one of them is working. Feel sorry for her, she could've done so much better

I agree, at least she has ideas. Ok, she's where she is because she married a prince, but I think she's trying to move away from all that negative RF trashing.
This is a harmless project, if it works, fine. I don't know how she puts up with Harry, though, but who knows what goes on in a marriage.

JADS · 10/04/2025 08:18

Lifestooshort71 · 10/04/2025 08:07

I don't do podcasts so haven't listened to Meghan's but I admire her get up and go with all the criticism she gets. I'm a forgive-and-forget sort of person (though I do learn from experiences) so, to me, the Oprah interview and Spare are well in the past and I think H&M deserve the right to move on from their 'misinformation' and spite. Meghan is churning stuff out to make money/stay in the public eye and I'm not going to knock another woman's efforts. Harry? well, his current court case is inadvised and he doesn't seem to have found his way forward yet - spoilt and entitled is not a good look. They are no longer relevant to the UK or the RF (and for Harry to say the UK is his home is laughable!) I agree that it's very odd that there are so many critical threads on MN about them. But....it's our space and if that's what posters want to talk about....I only skim through them now, my choice.

I agree with some of this.

At least Meghan is trying and the NF show/Asever/podcast at least all have a connection. The output feels more coherent even if she is still struggling with authenticity.

Harry I think is a lost cause.

ScarlettOYara · 10/04/2025 08:22

Yes, I agree, @JADS

JADS · 10/04/2025 08:23

JADS · 10/04/2025 08:08

I've listened to the first 15 minutes of the podcast. I enjoy a good podcast and while this isn't really my thing, I thought I would try it.

I think the intro hook is quite odd. First, you have Meghan stresing about packaging which is a bit dull. Then you get to Britney. As a business podcast, I would have expected a bit more of a run down of Britney's impressive CV (Meghan delivers the briefest resume) as opposed to how they met which centres things around Meghan. She also managed to insert her children into the first meeting narrative to emphasise her Mom credentials. I did wonder if she might have used that to tie into Bumble/Tinder which would have been a clever segway, but no alas it veers off into inserting your essence and other Cali talk.

Meghan's voice is quite soothing in this and sounds more polished than Archetypes. But she uses an odd staccato listing thing when she's trying to show that things are busy/hectic and it feels a bit affected.

Overall though it's a bit dull and didn't keep my interest. I'm not massively interested in the friendship/girl talk aspects. It's the kind of podcast I might add to my playlist to help me drift off to sleep (I have a couple of these so no shade there).

Obviously there are adverts at the beginning, so that's where the money is being made. If she gets a lot of traffic, it could be a money spinner, but not in the same way as Spoitify.

I realised I have referred to Whitney as Britney and it's too late to edit.

Meghan calls her Beardy in her intro so maybe that's where my brain went. Sorry for getting it wrong.

BunnyLake · 10/04/2025 08:27

Mightymoog · 09/04/2025 14:54

does seem odd that it's never been mentioned before

Doesn’t it just. Some people, when they say it’s raining, you look out the window to see if it’s true. They say it’s Tuesday, you look at a paper to see if it’s true. I knew someone like that, you could never take what they said as true until it was verified.

BunnyLake · 10/04/2025 08:34

ScarlettOYara · 10/04/2025 08:18

I agree, at least she has ideas. Ok, she's where she is because she married a prince, but I think she's trying to move away from all that negative RF trashing.
This is a harmless project, if it works, fine. I don't know how she puts up with Harry, though, but who knows what goes on in a marriage.

As much as I’m no fan of hers she deserves a medal being married to that sour faced sap. I can’t even look at him, at least she has a smile even if it can be a bit plastered on at times. He can sour milk that’s still in the cow.

IAmATorturedPoet · 10/04/2025 08:41

As for Diana… given her open heart, her outsider spirit, it’s easy to imagine her not just accepting Meghan, but truly seeing her—as a daughter-in-law, yes, but maybe more as a kindred soul.

Yes, because what mother doesn’t want a daughter in law who puts a wedge between her two sons. I’m sure if she was still here she’d be absolutely cock-a-bloody-hoop about it. 🙄

ScarlettOYara · 10/04/2025 08:42

BunnyLake · 10/04/2025 08:34

As much as I’m no fan of hers she deserves a medal being married to that sour faced sap. I can’t even look at him, at least she has a smile even if it can be a bit plastered on at times. He can sour milk that’s still in the cow.

You're not wrong. Plus, the worst part is - he's not moving on. He's stuck, complaining. A groove of bitterness and victimhood.
She is moving on, which is sensible.That's why I'd cut her a bit of slack on this lifestyle business.
At least she's trying to be positive and look forward.

BunnyLake · 10/04/2025 08:54

ScarlettOYara · 10/04/2025 08:42

You're not wrong. Plus, the worst part is - he's not moving on. He's stuck, complaining. A groove of bitterness and victimhood.
She is moving on, which is sensible.That's why I'd cut her a bit of slack on this lifestyle business.
At least she's trying to be positive and look forward.

Edited

Yes. She can annoy me but him, oh god that’s another level. He’s just awful and I wouldn’t want him for any money or titles. He so unattractive as a person (and yet he used to be my favourite and I even thought she was ‘lucky’ to marry him 😬). He is unwatchable to me, my face looks sourer than his if his visage pops up on tv

ScarlettOYara · 10/04/2025 08:58

BunnyLake · 10/04/2025 08:54

Yes. She can annoy me but him, oh god that’s another level. He’s just awful and I wouldn’t want him for any money or titles. He so unattractive as a person (and yet he used to be my favourite and I even thought she was ‘lucky’ to marry him 😬). He is unwatchable to me, my face looks sourer than his if his visage pops up on tv

I agree. It's funny the way it's gone. I was never a royal supporter, but I liked him. I really liked her and loved the wedding.
Now? Harry has actually made me feel sorry for Charles and William, and admire their dignity. Something I never thought would happen!

IAmATorturedPoet · 10/04/2025 09:03

He is really quite awful and so is she.
I hope they make each other happy.

MrsFinkelstein · 10/04/2025 09:24

As for Diana… given her open heart, her outsider spirit, it’s easy to imagine her not just accepting Meghan, but truly seeing her—as a daughter-in-law, yes, but maybe more as a kindred soul.

I actually think the opposite. Diana was an absolute aristocrat, traditionally "English" and a complete Monarchist. For all she could be a bit new-agey (& got taken in by the al-Fayed's - though I do think she was using them that summer) I think she generally could read people quite well. I don't think she would have been taken in by Meghan in the slightest. Meghan actually isn't an outsider - she can't function outwith her own bandwidth. Which is LA/influencer/surface level. She couldn't cope with the UK, its culture or the RF. Diana could, she just didn't want to, for her own reasons.

IMO Diana would have struggled to accept both of her DIL's, but especially would have been unlikely to tolerate the one who drove a wedge between brothers and extended family.

ScarlettOYara · 10/04/2025 09:49

I think you're right, @MrsFinkelstein . What was that description of Diana - "an aristocrat to her fingertips".

vera99 · 10/04/2025 09:51

MrsFinkelstein · 10/04/2025 09:24

As for Diana… given her open heart, her outsider spirit, it’s easy to imagine her not just accepting Meghan, but truly seeing her—as a daughter-in-law, yes, but maybe more as a kindred soul.

I actually think the opposite. Diana was an absolute aristocrat, traditionally "English" and a complete Monarchist. For all she could be a bit new-agey (& got taken in by the al-Fayed's - though I do think she was using them that summer) I think she generally could read people quite well. I don't think she would have been taken in by Meghan in the slightest. Meghan actually isn't an outsider - she can't function outwith her own bandwidth. Which is LA/influencer/surface level. She couldn't cope with the UK, its culture or the RF. Diana could, she just didn't want to, for her own reasons.

IMO Diana would have struggled to accept both of her DIL's, but especially would have been unlikely to tolerate the one who drove a wedge between brothers and extended family.

I see your point about Diana being a true aristocrat with a very specific sense of her place within the monarchy and the traditions that came with it. There’s no denying she was deeply rooted in British culture and had an innate understanding of the royal system—something that could’ve made her cautious, even skeptical, of Meghan.

However, Diana was also someone who had experienced the pressure of the royal machine firsthand and understood the isolation and media scrutiny that comes with it. While it’s true that Meghan's way of navigating the world might seem at odds with Diana’s upbringing, I think Diana would have at least recognized that shared sense of being "outside" in their own ways. Diana didn’t fit the mould either, did she? She carved her own path, often at odds with traditional expectations.

As for Meghan and her role in the family dynamics, it’s clear Diana would have been protective of her sons, especially in the context of what we know about Harry's relationship with William. But I think Diana, with her own history of feeling pushed to the sidelines, would have also had compassion for someone who seemed to struggle with the same pressures. Could she have accepted both of her daughters-in-law fully? Maybe not in the way we might expect—Diana wasn’t a saint, after all—but I think she would have understood, on some level, what Meghan was up against, even if they had differing approaches to it.

Ultimately, it’s impossible to know for sure, but I do think Diana's empathetic nature might have led her to see something in Meghan that wasn’t immediately obvious, even if she didn’t approve of every decision. And as much as Diana loved her sons, I believe she would have wanted them to find their happiness, even if it came from unexpected places.That said, if she had lived both the sons may well have bloomed in differrent ways than they eventually did and probably better for both.

ScarlettOYara · 10/04/2025 09:55

Who knows. It's all hypothetical. Maybe if Diana wasn't killed, Harry wouldn't have married someone like Meghan, someone he could use to exorcise his demons, give him a way out.
Like I say, all hypothetical.

MrsFinkelstein · 10/04/2025 10:03

ScarlettOYara · 10/04/2025 09:55

Who knows. It's all hypothetical. Maybe if Diana wasn't killed, Harry wouldn't have married someone like Meghan, someone he could use to exorcise his demons, give him a way out.
Like I say, all hypothetical.

Exactly. Had Diana lived, Im not sure William would have married Catherine, but he might have (he was clearly craving family stability and security). Harry definitely wouldn't have married Meghan. Though he may still have craved attention, but I think he would have gone for it in a different direction. Who knows? It's all supposition, but we absolutely can't assume Diana would have liked anyone.

Meghan was supported in a myriad of ways Diana, Fergue and Catherine weren't. She also wasn't subject to the physical pressure intrusion the others were.

Obviously the pressure of SM was different for Meghan - but she's not unique. "KateGate" and the Sussex Squad showed us that. And had Diana lived - she would also have been subject to it. That shapes how you view people.

LipglossAlly · 10/04/2025 10:20

CowboyHatAndBoots · 10/04/2025 02:46

Well Whitney and others aren’t queuing up to come on a podcast you or me are hosting so….😁

Meghan is trying to launch a business currently and if she’s willing to learn from others, good luck to her. She’s had some success in acting previously, now people are willing to go on her podcast, she’s got a business of the ground (I know how hard that is) etc so I’d say she’s successful.

Women tend to have to balance work and children, if they have them, whether they like it or not. Meghan is working and raising children so she’s balancing it all presumably, I’ve no clue how well she’s doing with that, it’s something lots of us struggle with with all the feelings of guilt if you leave your children but also wanting to earn money and have a career. Men don’t get made to feel guilty for wanting success and we hear lots from them. I’m more than happy to hear from successful women that Meghan has on her podcast who have proven themselves in business.

I can totally relate to what you said, especially when it comes to mum guilt and the fear of not doing enough. It is a complicated juggle,and it is lovely to hear from other successful women.

NewAgeNewMe · 10/04/2025 10:21

I doubt either Harry or William would have married their wives. William wanted someone who wouldn’t rock the boat and Harry wanted someone who would.

Had Diana survived, would she have coped with the beautiful women her sons married eclipsing her? She also would have carved out a different life for herself and might not even live in the U.K. hard to know really, one thing I agree Diana was aristocratic to her fingertips.

Uricon2 · 10/04/2025 10:23

Any speculation about how Diana would have viewed her daughters in law is problematic, because the only perception we can have is of a woman younger than both her sons are now. There seems to be some evidence that the "war" with Charles was over and that she was genuinely moving into a better place in her life (it wouldn't have been with Dodi, pretty certain of that)

I think we might have a less damaged and angry Harry had she lived, certainly one who would have had fewer excuses made for poor behaviour. Perhaps he would still have become the "spare" chafing at the perceived injustice of the accident of birth order, perhaps he would have levelled out and realised that actually his position was quite enviable.

Reminds me of Queen Alexandra, really. Noted beauty, popular with the people, cheating husband on a scale that makes Charles look like a monk (obviously no reciprocal behaviour on her part) Regarded as more loving and affectionate to her children than was the norm in RF circles then. I don't think she gave up the reigns as No1 Royal lady easily though and her relationship with Mary of Teck was problematic. I don't think whoever William or Charles married would necessarily have had an easy time with her, but we'll never know.

(Sorry for musings but Alexandra was Royal!)

Uricon2 · 10/04/2025 10:44

Doh, William or Harry of course, too late to edit. Charles too, probably!

LipglossAlly · 10/04/2025 10:53

CowboyHatAndBoots · 10/04/2025 03:57

Maybe, although he has always had his own projects previously so may like to continue to do so in the future. From what Meghan said on the podcast, she tries to be available to her children during her work day if her children want her. From my experience, mothers (and good fathers) are always trying to balance work and home, even if one parent is a SAHP.

I would also add that, as highlighted in the podcast, In the post- COVID era it is way more common to work from home which helps immensely in balancing parenthood and work life. I must admit that I'm really grateful for that.

Dalky · 10/04/2025 10:58

vera99 · 10/04/2025 09:51

I see your point about Diana being a true aristocrat with a very specific sense of her place within the monarchy and the traditions that came with it. There’s no denying she was deeply rooted in British culture and had an innate understanding of the royal system—something that could’ve made her cautious, even skeptical, of Meghan.

However, Diana was also someone who had experienced the pressure of the royal machine firsthand and understood the isolation and media scrutiny that comes with it. While it’s true that Meghan's way of navigating the world might seem at odds with Diana’s upbringing, I think Diana would have at least recognized that shared sense of being "outside" in their own ways. Diana didn’t fit the mould either, did she? She carved her own path, often at odds with traditional expectations.

As for Meghan and her role in the family dynamics, it’s clear Diana would have been protective of her sons, especially in the context of what we know about Harry's relationship with William. But I think Diana, with her own history of feeling pushed to the sidelines, would have also had compassion for someone who seemed to struggle with the same pressures. Could she have accepted both of her daughters-in-law fully? Maybe not in the way we might expect—Diana wasn’t a saint, after all—but I think she would have understood, on some level, what Meghan was up against, even if they had differing approaches to it.

Ultimately, it’s impossible to know for sure, but I do think Diana's empathetic nature might have led her to see something in Meghan that wasn’t immediately obvious, even if she didn’t approve of every decision. And as much as Diana loved her sons, I believe she would have wanted them to find their happiness, even if it came from unexpected places.That said, if she had lived both the sons may well have bloomed in differrent ways than they eventually did and probably better for both.

There are zero parallels or resonance from Diana's experience as a teenage virgin, targeted and set-up with an older man, already in a longterm affair, with that of a late thirties, previously married, now divorced, actress, driven to acquire a wealthy husband as her biological clock was on red alert.

Diana would have been appalled by and not tolerated the persistent and consistent bullying of palace staff nor the wedge driven between her sons. She also would not have let PH become isolated from his friends.

I suspect MM's MO was to only bully staff out of sight of the people who mattered to her career (kiss up, kick down approach) but she didnt realise how within the palace the walls have ears and that the senior courtiers watched and listened and reported her. I suspect she was mortified when she was exposed and her fragile ego flipped into the classic narcissistic rage and DARVO mode. Of course she had her 'white knight' pumped and primed ready to ride in to defend and save his 'damsel in distress'.

MM was not treated badly by the RF as an outsider. MM arrived with her agents and lawyers who were working on her behalf throughout her time in the UK scoping opportunities and deals. PH inadvertently confirmed in an interview that they had made the decision to leave before they were even married. The RF made many concessions over and above standard protocol to integrate and support MM but she never took them up as she was never staying from the start.

RedRosesPinkLilies · 10/04/2025 11:27

@Dalky good post x

BunnyLake · 10/04/2025 11:42

IAmATorturedPoet · 10/04/2025 09:03

He is really quite awful and so is she.
I hope they make each other happy.

True they are quite the match but whereas I just roll my eyes at her need for fame, I want to throw a brick at the screen if he comes on. I have to switch over, I literally can’t look at him or listen to him.

Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.

This thread is not accepting new messages.