When With Love, Meghan returns for its second season later this month, viewers may notice something missing — big-name guests.
Sources suggest the Duchess of Sussex struggled to book high-profile stars like Oprah Winfrey, Michelle Obama, or a Kardashian, leaving the cast feeling “very underwhelming,” according to insiders.
Netflix Steps In to Fill the Gaps
To support the show, Netflix reportedly helped fill seats with personalities who already have projects with the streamer, particularly TV chefs.
Many of Meghan’s guests also share representation with her through the WME talent agency, which seems to have influenced the lineup.
A British Hollywood insider told Daily Mail:
“It’s very underwhelming. It’s really down to Meghan to get the stars.
Where is Oprah, Michelle Obama, or even a Kardashian? It’s just a bunch of random people she knows.”
Trailer Reaction and Guest Highlights
The trailer for the upcoming eight episodes has been viewed 380,000 times on YouTube but has a much higher number of dislikes than likes — 32,000 dislikes compared to 2,900 likes.
Meghan films at a rented house near her Montecito mansion for privacy, but the guest list has sparked controversy.
Chrissy Teigen is arguably the biggest name, yet some have criticized her past online behavior in light of the Sussexes’ online safety campaigns.
Other guests include Queer Eye star Tan France, self-help personality Jay Shetty with his wife Radhi Devlukia, her make-up artist Daniel Martin, and Pilates instructor Heather Dorak.
Chefs featured include Samin Nosrat, Christina Tosi, Jose Andres, David Chang, and Clare Smyth, who cooked at Meghan and Harry’s 2018 wedding.
An insider explained:
“Chrissy Teigen isn’t popular anymore. Guests like Jay Shetty and his wife are known, but not superstars. The others are quite niche. The closest real celebrity this season is Tan France, and it feels like Netflix stepped in to help there.”
Meghan’s Show Struggles With Ratings
With Love, Meghan failed to break into Netflix’s top 300 programs for the first half of 2025 and was outperformed by reruns of Suits.
An insider described the viewing numbers as “dismal.”
The one-minute, 27-second teaser shows Meghan preparing food, sharing snacks and drinks with friends, and revealing what her husband Prince Harry doesn’t like to eat:
“Do you know who doesn’t like lobster? My husband.”
Criticism and Cultural Backlash
The first season faced criticism for being “sensationally absurd and trite,” with Meghan labeled “tone-deaf” and the show described as vibrating with “vacuous joylessness.”
It holds a 3.2/10 IMDb rating and 38% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Some moments drew ridicule, such as Meghan putting pretzels in a plastic bag, correcting a guest for not using “Sussex” as her surname, and one viewer even threatened legal action after claiming her bath salts recipe caused burns.
Netflix Deal Downgrade
The release of season two coincides with the Sussexes’ new multi-year, “first-look” deal with Netflix — reportedly less lucrative than their original $100 million contract.
Experts describe the arrangement as “pay-as-you-go,” allowing Netflix to approve projects selectively rather than guaranteeing a large upfront sum.
PR expert Mark Borkowski told Daily Mail:
“Netflix has pivoted away from two very expensive people who didn’t deliver.
It’s a downgrade. They’ll be paid per production rather than the jackpot figure of their first deal.”
