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After suffering a number of PR setbacks in 2024, Meghan Markle is at a crossroads in her career.
The Duchess of Sussex is on the verge of launching a new lifestyle brand and a new Netflx series within the next few weeks.
It’s a lot to take on, but those who know Meghan best say it’s the type of work for which she’s best suited.
But one famous figure — who’s no stranger to the worlds of television and business — says that Meg is going about it all wrong.
Bethenny Frankel says Meghan is trying too hard to be perfect
Bethenny Frankel has never been one to shy away from criticizing A-listers. In fact, her fondness for trashing everyone from the Kardashians to Prince Harry is one of the things her followers love about her.
And now, Bethenny has set her sights on Meghan — or, more specifically, on Meghan’s career ambitions.
After being delayed by the California wildfires, Meghan’s Netflix show, With Love, Meghan, will debut in March.
The timing coincides with the relaunch of Meghan’s lifestyle brand. Initially dubbed “American Riviera Orchard,” the company has been renamed “As Ever,” following a trademark dispute.
According to Bethenny, the back-to-back projects have left Meghan struggling to balance the two sides of her public image.
“You guys were irritated that that trailer for her that that trailer for her show was perfect, like Martha Stewart … perfect,” Frankel said in a new TikTok post.
“And then you were irritated that she was super all-natural describing her new brand coming out.”
The situation led Bethenny to conclude that “Meghan Markle can’t win for losing.”
“I think the reason she can’t win for losing is that there is a lack of identity and understanding as to exactly who she is to the audience,” Bethenny explained.
She claimed that Meghan started out by leaning into her role as the American Duchess but then chose a different tack.
“First, we are in Montecito and it’s all perfect, which would have been fine — commit to the bit,” Frankel said.
“Because of the reaction from you guys, now it’s more natural and just delivering really unfiltered fresh out of bed content and that is turning people off because they’re like, ‘What happened to the perfect content?’”
Bethenny added that Meghan and Harry have “never been able to get their footing” and that fans are beginning to pick up on their lack of authenticity.
Meghan has a unique dilemma
It’s worth noting that it’s hard to portray yourself as just a regular working mom when you’re a literal duchess. And Meghan would probably be brutally roasted if she tried to go that route consistently. She’s no Pioneer Woman.
But at the same time, she’s the product of a working-class upbringing, and her time as a working royal probably offered daily reminders that she wasn’t born into that world.
So Meghan is influenced by both experiences, and her content reflects that fact.
There’s nothing wrong with that — but Bethenny makes a valid point about how such a complex persona might lead to branding complications.