Housewife influencers, such as Nara Smith and Hannah Neeleman, host social media-worthy dinner parties and are now becoming a status symbol among younger millennials.
Meghan’s series has also featured appearances from her friends and colleagues since it started, including her former Suits co-star Abigail Spencer and Mindy Kaling, alongside food personalities such as chef Roy Choi and Alice Waters of Chez Panisse, who is credited with pioneering the farm-to-table movement.
An anonymous source involved with the show said: “The intention was to highlight Meghan connecting with friends and family traditions, creating a cozy, welcoming home. However, in doing so, it unintentionally evokes the type of imagery critics describe as ‘trad wife’.”
Some viewers have argued the show’s aesthetic – honey-hued kitchens, hand-labeled candles and carefully arranged festive décor – could also be misinterpreted as promoting outdated gender expectations.
One media analyst said: “The irony is that Meghan has long positioned herself as a progressive figure. Now she’s showcasing a highly domestic, curated lifestyle, which is bound to provoke debate and justifiable criticism.”
Another media expert said: “Meghan’s show blends tradition with modern celebrity culture. Some will appreciate the warmth and attention to detail, while others will see it as reinforcing outdated domestic stereotypes.”
Meghan has also recently come under fire for her continued estrangement from her former lighting director father Thomas Markle Sr., 81.
She recently reached out to him by sending him a letter after he had a leg amputated in an emergency operation in which surgeons also tackled a potentially deadly blood clot.
But insiders say her portrayal of her cozy family Christmas on her latest Netflix shows “jars” with her ongoing estrangement from the man who funded her education and acting lessons, which saw her land her role on Suits.
One source said: “On the one hand, Meghan parades around on TV spouting about how to create a picture-perfect family Christmas. On the other, she clearly has no intention of a face-to-face meeting with her sick dad, who is now struggling through the process of recovering from his leg amputation. Her hypocrisy is jaw-dropping.”
