The Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, has made her triumphant return to the small screen with her new Netflix series «With Love, Meghan,» which premiered today. After binging all eight episodes, here’s everything we learned from the Duchess’s delightful foray into lifestyle television.
Meghan and Harry Value Their Privacy
Though it’s about homemaking, the series is not filmed at Meghan and Harry’s $14 million mansion after all. Instead, an $8 million farmhouse, nestled on five acres of prime Montecito real estate, is the playground for Meghan’s domestic pursuits.
Meghan chose not to let cameras into her actual home to protect her children, Archie and Lilibet. “I wanted to protect that safe haven. We’re a close-knit family, and I love those moments—putting Lili down for a nap, having lunch together, having sacred time together at the end of the day,” she told People. “Our kitchen is where Mama just cooks for the family.”
While it may not be their kitchen, we still get plenty of eye candy. Cream-colored shaker cabinets, butcher block countertops, and a farmhouse sink that begs you to roll up your sleeves and start kneading dough (which she does, of course). The pièce de résistance? A top-of-the-line Thermador range that costs more than some cars.
The farmhouse, owned by philanthropists Tom and Sherrie Cipolla, features 4,500 square-feet of open-plan living space, including 4 bedrooms and 4.5 bathrooms. It’s situated in an exclusive gated community, surrounded by avocado and lemon trees with spectacular mountain views.
Meghan Harvests Honey and Makes Candles from Beeswax
The series opens with a shot of bees, transitioning to Meghan at the beehive, where she helps to collect honey. “We’re going to have a lot of honey, honey,” she says in the first episode. Donning a full beekeeper’s suit, Meghan harvests honey from her personal apiary, later melting the beeswax to make candles. “It’s beautiful to be this connected,” she says. Ironically, she admits, “I never liked honey…and now because of this process I just appreciate it so much.” (We love a good character arc.)
Meghan repurposes leftover wax from the beehive to craft candles infused with essential oils. For her friend, makeup artist Daniel Martin, she creates a special candle with mint and eucalyptus oil to help with his allergies (sweet, indeed).
She’s Fresh Produce FTW
Meghan’s green thumb is on full display as she assembles a harvest basket filled with lemons, cucumbers, and napa cabbage. Throughout the series, she’s seen digging up fresh veggies in raised garden beds and whimsically meandering through rows of raspberry brambles with a basket in hand.
We see extensive gardens, including raised beds for vegetables and flowers, a lemon grove, and an avocado orchard. Outside is a Victorian-style glasshouse. Though the show itself is not inside her primary residence, People reports that her actual garden is featured here.
Meghan describes tending to her garden as a “daily job” and discusses with chef Alice Waters how growing one’s own produce can transform one’s perspective on food—very zen and California.
When she’s not elbow-deep in soil, she’s using that gorgeous outdoor space for gatherings. And, of course, the property is complete with a chicken coop named «Archie’s Chicken Inn» after her son.
Her Hosting Philosophy? “Love is in the Details”
“Love is in the details, gang,” Meghan says while preparing lavender towels for guests. For a sleepover with Martin, she crafts a welcome tray with homemade bath salts, truffle popcorn, and a bedside bouquet. “The joy of hostessing is surprising people with moments to let them know I was thinking of their whole experience, from morning to evening.”
She prepares elaborate, artful platters of crudité, pasta dishes, and whimsical crostini. Her love for handwritten notes and labels (and impressive talent for calligraphy) adds personal touches to all her food products and gifts for friends. She even creates custom party bags, complete with mini gardening tools, seeds, and manuka honey sticks.
Meghan’s Style is Casually Elegant
The farmhouse’s decor maintains a neutral palette with creams, tans, and soft blues, and the living area is flooded with natural light. In the kitchen: blue and white peony porcelain plates from Earth and Element, cream-colored Le Creuset braisers, and handcrafted wooden bowls.
Throughout the series, you can’t catch Meghan without either a glass jar or a wicker basket. Glass jars are her go-to for storing ingredients and gifting to friends, and she uses the wicker baskets to harvest produce and store baked goods as display pieces on her countertops.
For her personal style, she’s constantly rocking elegant neutrals, occasionally throwing on a Northwestern University sweatshirt to remind us that she’s just like us (except not really at all).
Family Life Tidbits
Meghan shares several sweet anecdotes about her children throughout the show. She reveals that Princess Lilibet, now 3, has created her own cleaning song: «Clean as you go! Clean, clean, clean!» Meghan also mentions that Lilibet loves the color pink and has a doll named Stella Al Fresco with a little baguette and cheese.
As for Prince Archie, now 5, Meghan recounts a family vacation where he caught two trout, which they prepared for a meal. She also mentions that Archie loves golden berries, which they grow at home.
Prince Harry makes a brief appearance in the final episode, toasting Meghan’s success. Meghan reveals that Harry is «a great cook» who makes «really good breakfast» and loves bacon.
With Love, Meghan is streaming now on Netflix.
Julia Cancilla is the engagement editor (and resident witch) at ELLE Decor, where she manages the brand’s social media presence and covers trends, lifestyle, and culture in the design world. Julia built her background at Inked magazine, where she grew their social media audiences by two million, conducted interviews with A-list celebrities, and penned feature articles focusing on pop culture, art and lifestyle. Over her five years of digital media experience, Julia has written about numerous topics, from fashion to astrology.
