The Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, has released a festive special of her Netflix series, offering viewers an intimate glimpse into her family's holiday preparations and sharing quintessentially British traditions with her American friends. The episode, titled 'With Love, Meghan - Holiday Celebration', premiered at 8am UK time today.
Teaching British Traditions Across the Pond
In a central segment of the show, Meghan introduced New York restaurateur Will Guidara to the classic British custom of pulling Christmas crackers. She explained the ritual, where people typically cross arms and pull simultaneously, describing the experience as feeling "really connected and sweet." For the uninitiated American audience, Mr Guidara reacted with surprise, saying "No way" before declaring the tradition "awesome."
The Duchess then demonstrated how to make personalised crackers, filling them with dried flowers, confetti, and chocolates for her family. She crafted special ones for her children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. For six-year-old Archie, she included a mini burger, noting his love for the colour red, while for four-year-old Lili, she placed a lavender rollerball, commenting on her daughter's current desire to be a "grown-up lady." For her husband, Prince Harry, a cracker contained a love letter, a chocolate, and a paper hat.
A Glimpse into Montecito Family Life
Filmed near the couple's $9.5 million home in Montecito, California, the 56-minute special aims to evoke the spirit of a large family gathering. Prince Harry makes a brief appearance in the final five minutes, notably avoiding a dish Meghan jokingly called the "anti-salad." This salad, made with chef Tom Colicchio, contained many ingredients Harry dislikes, prompting him to quip, "You must have known that I was coming."
Harry instead showed enthusiasm for a pot of gumbo, made to a recipe from Meghan's mother, Doria Ragland. After tasting it, he praised the flavour but daringly suggested it was not quite as good as his mother-in-law's, saying, "I'm not sure it's as good as your mum's but it's certainly close."
The episode also featured sweet personal touches, such as Meghan handwriting decorations for the Christmas tree with messages like, "I love you because you are so kind. I love you because you're so brave." She also created personalised advent calendars for Archie and Lili, tucking similar notes and small gifts inside.
Celebrity Friends and Hosting Tips
Beyond the family moments, Meghan was joined by several famous friends. She hosted a pyjama-clad gathering with old friends Lindsay Roth and Kelly Zajfen, and shared a crafting session with tennis champion Naomi Osaka, bonding over motherhood. Meghan also shared various hosting tips, from wrapping a wine bottle in a headscarf using Japanese furoshiki technique to using wax seals on gifts, remarking that "It's the tiniest detail that suddenly feels elevated."
Reflecting on the pressure of the season, the Duchess admitted, "I get so fussed about everything being perfect that you lose the magic that even happens in the mistakes." She advised viewers to embrace the special touches that bring joy without feeling the need to "do it all."
The special concludes the first year of the Sussexes' lucrative Netflix deal, reportedly worth over $100 million, which was signed in 2020 after they stepped back as senior working royals. Despite the show receiving mixed reviews since its March debut, a second series was launched in August, and the couple recently announced a new multi-year deal with the streaming giant.
