Meghan on who said I love you first, and what she misses about UK

- BBC News

Meghan on who said I love you first, and what she misses about UK

Californian sunsets, perfectly decorated cakes, and lessons in how to make salt and vinegar crisps.

Thats right - With Love, Meghan, is back.

Series two of the TV series, which drops on Netflix on Tuesday, was once again filmed in a house close to the Duchess of Sussexs home in Montecito.

Celebrity friends such as Chrissy Teigan and John Legend pop by for food.

And we get a glimpse into what Meghans family life is like, although the Duke of Sussex, and their children Archie and Lilibet, do not appear in it themselves.

Take mornings, for example.

In one episode, Meghan reveals she makes hot breakfast for her family most days.

"Its not as complicated as people think it is," she says. "It feels like a big undertaking but youre just slicing bread, youre dunking it in some eggs, and calling it a day."

When questioned on this by her guest, Queer Eyes Tan France, she elaborates on what she likes to cook.

"Fried eggs and pancakes, but I like to do surprise pancakes for the kids, so I always put some ground flax seeds, pour some chia seeds in. And Lili will ask me, Can I have chia seeds? I want it to have freckles," she says.

"The ritual of breakfast is a sacred time as a family," she adds. "You just take a minute of calm before the day."

If thats nothing like what your mornings resemble, dont worry.

Many of us are lucky if we find time to scoff down some cereal before work. But the whole point of Meghans series is that its aspirational.

Its optimistic. And its relentlessly upbeat, throughout all of its episodes.

Like the first instalment, series two sees Meghan share cooking, gardening and hosting tips with friends and famous guests.

Nuggets about her life, love and interests are scattered throughout.

We hear that as an aspiring actress, Meghan - who went on to star in Suits - used to get so nervous from auditions she would get blotchy and have to wear turtlenecks. When an audition went well, she would treat herself with a McDonalds apple pie.

She knew she loved Harry by date three, when the pair were camping in Botswana. He said ‘I love you’ first.

They eat a lot of roast chicken. But Harrys less adventurous palate also gets a mention.

When cooking a meal with chef José Andrés, Meghan reveals that her husband doesnt like lobster.

"No way," says Andrés. "And you married him?"

But the show is as much about whats not in it, as what is.

The Royal Family dont get a mention, nor is there any discussion of the rift within it. Earlier this year, Harry gave an emotional interview to BBC News in which he said he "would love a reconciliation" with his family, but none of that is on display here.

In fact, Harry doesnt appear on camera at all in the series.

Nor do their children. The couple continue to protect Archie and Lilibets privacy, while also presenting their lifestyle.

There are no references to their former lives as working royals.

We do, however, learn what Meghan misses most about the UK. The answer? Magic Radio.

"Sorry to say this to you publicly but thats such a grandma station," says Tan France.

"Ill be that grandma," replies Meghan.

With Love, Meghan, has widely been seen as the Duchess relaunch, as she builds her new lifestyle empire.

Despite it being the tenth most watched Netflix programme globally in its first week, audiences gave the first series a rating of just 32% on the film and television review website, Rotten Tomatoes (based on more than 2,500 votes).

Reviews were mixed. The Guardian described it as a "gormless lifestyle filler" while The Telegraph gave it two stars and branded it "insane" and an "exercise in narcissism".

However, the BBCs royal correspondent Sean Coughlan wrote that it was about "escapism", adding: "Its a glass of something sparkling on a grey day."

The TV show was followed by the launch of Meghans new brand As Ever, selling, among other things, edible flower petals and jars of wildflower honey.

Next up came her podcast, Confessions of a Female Founder.

And earlier this month, Prince Harry and Meghan signed a new multi-year deal for films and TV shows with Netflix.

Its a looser arrangement than their previous deal - but it disproves claims that the Sussexes and Netflix are going to completely part company.

Royal expert Victoria Murphy says that for Meghan personally, her TV show is “very important... in terms of how she wants to be seen and the kind of public presence that she wants to have moving forward”.

And, as with everything Meghan does, reactions to part two of her series are likely to be mixed.

If you dont like Meghan, youre probably not going to like this.

But if youre a Meghan fan, youll love it.



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