In what may be the biggest royal reality check of the year, Meghan Markle’s much-hyped lifestyle series with Netflix has been officially cancelled—and insiders say the Duchess of Sussex is anything but graceful about the fall.

Netflix, which signed a $100 million deal with Meghan and Prince Harry through their Archewell Productions in hopes of landing streaming gold, has reportedly pulled the plug on Meghan’s cooking and lifestyle series after just one attempt at production. Described internally as a “chaotic mess” by crew members, the now-axed project has turned into a PR disaster for both the streamer and the former royal.

Netflix had high hopes that Meghan could rebrand herself as a modern Martha Stewart—a charismatic domestic guru with global influence. Instead, the production was plagued with delays, crew discontent, and creative clashes. Sources close to the project claim Meghan micromanaged every detail, from the shade of the set’s beige walls to the font on recipe cards, leaving the team frustrated and overwhelmed.

“The crew couldn’t keep up,” one insider revealed. “Every time something was approved, it would be torn down the next day. Meghan didn’t want collaboration—she wanted control.”

A $100 Million Misfire
The failure of the show has left Netflix executives scrambling to explain the expensive gamble. The series was part of a multi-year deal meant to reshape the couple’s public image and generate original content for the platform. Instead, the show’s demise has become a cautionary tale of celebrity overreach and media miscalculation.

“Netflix thought they were investing in royalty—what they got was reality show-level drama,” said a streaming industry analyst. “It’s not just about one show flopping. It’s about a brand losing value in real time.”

Behind closed doors, Meghan is allegedly fuming over the cancellation. One source claims she even demanded a face-to-face meeting with Netflix’s CEO, Ted Sarandos, and “lost it” when she was told the decision was final. Rumors have swirled that she accused the platform of sabotaging her vision and failing to support a diverse voice in lifestyle programming. But Netflix execs reportedly see it differently: the show simply wasn’t watchable.

Adding insult to injury, the series’ brief time in development became a laughingstock on social media. Clips and leaks from the set began circulating online, quickly turning into viral memes. One particularly savage thread referred to the production as “The Crown meets Pinterest meets meltdown.”

From Duchess to Disaster?
This isn’t the first time Meghan’s entertainment ventures have faced setbacks. Her Spotify podcast, Archetypes, was dropped after just one season, with the platform reportedly disappointed in the output compared to expectations. Critics argue that despite her global name recognition, Meghan has yet to prove she can deliver successful, compelling content on her own.

“The brand of Meghan Markle may have peaked,” says one royal watcher. “She wanted to control the narrative—but with every failed project, that narrative becomes harder to maintain.”

While the cancellation may not spell the end for Meghan’s partnership with Netflix entirely, it does raise serious questions about the viability of future projects under Archewell. Executives are reportedly reassessing their strategy, hoping to pivot toward less personality-driven content that doesn’t hinge solely on Meghan and Harry’s appeal.

What’s Next for Meghan?
Insiders say Meghan is already pitching new ideas to other platforms and production houses, including a possible memoir-style docuseries and a children’s brand. However, her growing reputation for being “difficult to work with” may make securing new deals harder than ever.

As for Netflix, the company appears to be moving on quickly. The streamer is focusing on proven hits and leaning into franchises that offer higher returns without the drama. One executive reportedly said, “We learned a lot from the Markle experiment. Sometimes, the crown slips.”

In the end, Meghan Markle’s failed attempt to reinvent herself as a domestic tastemaker may serve as a turning point in her media journey. For now, her royal lifestyle empire is on hold—and viewers won’t be seeing any duchess-approved dinner recipes on Netflix any time soon.