Prince Harry is a man of many skills, according to one of his wife Meghan Markle’s close friends.
Mindy Kaling is one of the famous faces appearing in Meghan’s upcoming lifestyle show, and she spilled a little known secret about the Duke ahead of its launch.
With Love, Meghan comprises of eight episodes, which will release in full Jan. 15. The two-minute-long trailer released by Netflix on Thursday shows Meghan wandering rows of a meticulously kept garden, choosing fresh flowers, harvesting honey, kneading homemade bread and working in the kitchen with a lineup of famous friends, including Mindy and Suits star Abigail Spencer.
Speaking about her experience filming for the show, Mindy revealed: “Harry was there, but he didn’t cook for me, but I heard he’s actually a pretty good cook. He knows his way around the kitchen.”
The actress further added that Meghan had texted her while she was on maternity leave, inviting her to Montecito, where she and Prince Harry live.
She said: “I think of myself as kind of an okay cook and she unsurprisingly blew me out of the water. The thing about her recipes is they’re really accessible. She has a garden from scratch, which I could never do, and chickens which would probably all die if I tried to take care of them, but other than that, I would say it’s very accessible.”
Not everyone is in agreement with Mindy’s assessment, however. Some critics have questioned how relatable the content really is – and the Duchess’s credentials to front such a show.
Royal historian and expert Dr Tessa Dunlop told the Mirror: “It is all too easy to mock Meghan and the perfect world she presents in her new Netflix trailer: shiny (slightly) famous friends, effortfully fresh food, Insta-ready images.
“But worry not, apparently this is just what the Duchess does: in her words ‘I have always loved taking something pretty ordinary and elevating it.’ And no, she is not talking about Prince Harry, who this time is lucky enough to make an appearance alongside his influencer wife and her millennial chums. According to chef Roy Choi, ‘they are family now’, which doesn’t bode well given the Sussexes’ track record with their nearest and dearest.
“See, I told you it was easy to mock. I mean, come on, a reality series in which one of the richest women in the world is pretending she can teach us ‘little tips and tricks’. Demonstrating how ‘we can incorporate these practises’ into our domestic lives, as she meanders through her sun-dappled kitchen garden, retro basket in hand, before attending those designer bee hives, dripping with honey. It’s so out-of-reach for the vast majority, it is laughable.”
Royal expert and author Hugo Vickers, meanwhile, questioned the timing of the show, telling The Sun: “The sort of food that she’s producing is not going to appeal to a lot of people who can’t afford to buy that sort of thing.”
He added: “A lot of people are suffering, this is a time of hardship, generally. I don’t really quite know what we’re going to make of a star in a white dress, not even wearing an apron, putting together all this.. Stuff!”