Meghan Markle has faced criticism for allegedly copying Martha Stewart, following a previous exchange between the two. The Duchess of Sussex, 45, shared a recipe with her followers that included adding her blackberry fruit spread to buttercream icing, described as "a sweet way to savour the season".
Fans spot the similarity
News24 presenter Rita Panahi noted that fans quickly pointed out that Stewart, 85, had already featured the same "sweet trick" in a summertime recipe reel on social media. Panahi remarked: "They do say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery."
Broadcaster Dee Dee Dunleavy mocked the Duchess, saying: "Rita, I don't like your sarcastic tone. Don't you know that Megan Markle invented jam and now she's been so inventive that she's put jam onto a cake, which Martha Stewart did before her, as did every other mom that has ever made a cake."
Scathing critique of Meghan's brand
Dunleavy continued: "Seriously, her whole brand is predicated on the idea that she is innovative in the lifestyle home space, so originality does matter. It's quite obvious, given what we've seen, that she's copying Martha Stewart, which would be incredibly dumb. Martha Stewart has a couple of decades of credibility in that space and Meghan's never going to match her with that."
Panahi described Stewart as "genuinely talented in that field", suggesting she did not enter the industry simply because she saw it as a profitable venture, unlike Meghan. "She's actually grown that audience organically over many decades," Panahi added.
Authenticity questioned
Dunleavy agreed, saying: "She backs up what she does with recipes and hints and guides on how to do things. Meghan just posts a pretty picture on Instagram. There's a big difference."
Earlier in the month, Stewart told PEOPLE that she overheard Meghan discussing her recent visit to the UK during a dinner party. A representative for the Duchess of Sussex hit back, suggesting Stewart was "confused" by what she heard. In the same interview, Stewart appeared to question the authenticity of Meghan's career path, saying: "If you're an actress, it's hard to then transition to a princess and then from a princess into a homemaking guru on a television show. It doesn't sort of follow. So go from there."
