The Duchess of Sussex has given a glimpse of her upcoming Netflix series by releasing the first trailer for With Love, Meghan, on her new Instagram account.
Launching on January 15, each of the eight episodes feature friends old and new as they’re invited by Meghan Markle to roll up their sleeves and join her in the kitchen or garden.
In the first clip released to promote the lifestyle series, the Duchess is supported by several showbiz pals, including American actress Mindy Kaling, who also appeared on Meghan’s podcast Archetypes.
Cooking in a kitchen in Montecito, the Duchess chats to the comedian (an early recipient of American Riviera Orchard Jam) while The Lovin’ Spoonful’s Do You Believe in Magic plays over the top.
Meghan also welcomes some of her closest friends, from Suits co-star Abigail Spencer to her ‘sister’ and ‘fellow polo wife’, Delfina Blaquier, wife of the Duke of Sussex’s pal Nacho Figueras.
Professional polo player Nacho was the first of the Figueras family to feature in a Netflix series from the Sussexes, after starring in Netflix’s Harry & Meghan, as well as the Duke’s Polo show.
Meghan’s make-up artist Daniel Martin, who is often described as the mother-of-two’s best friend, also featured in the trailer for the Duchess’ new programme.
Daniel is believed to have known Meghan for over a decade, having met her while the former actress worked on Suits.
The pair then kept in touch and while working on her former blog The Tig, Meghan asked Daniel to give her a helping hand.
He has remained in contact with the Duchess throughout her life in the royal family and was by Meghan’s side on her wedding day as he perfected her make-up.
The series also features celebrated literary agent Jennifer Rudolph Walsh and Harry and Meghan’s multi-millionaire neighbour Vicky Tsai, who sold her beauty brand Tatcha to Unilever in 2019 for a reported $500million.
They’re joined on the show by Tracy Robbins. Mrs Robbins and her husband Paramount boss Brian Robbins are friends with the Sussexes and invited them to the Bob Marley film premiere in Jamaica in January.
Meghan’s best friend Kelly McKee Zajfen, co-founder of Alliance of Moms, is also included on the guestlist for the series.
Kelly and Meghan first met through the Duchess’ ex-husband, Trevor Engelson, who is friends with the former model’s entertainment lawyer husband.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have formed a vital part of Kelly and her husband Julian’s support network following Kelly’s son George’s death aged just nine in July 2022 after being found unresponsive in their family home.
Kelly, who co-founded Alliance of Moms, a non-profit that supports pregnant and parenting teens in the foster care system, praised Harry and Meghan for being a ‘guiding light’ following the tragic death of her son.
The trailer also features a sweet moment between Meghan and Prince Harry, who share a hug, and includes appearances with chefs Roy Choi and Alice Waters.
Meghan is known to have many celeb friends; one of whom is The Office writer Mindy Kaling.
Appearing in a snippet in the trailer, Mindy, who is being served up a piece of Victoria Sponge cake, says: ‘What! This is probably one of the most glamorous moments of my life.’
Elsewhere, Meghan speaks about ‘making new friends’ and learning new skills – such as beekeeping.
The long-awaited lifestyle series, which fans were promised when lifestyle brand American Riviera Orchard was first teased last March, will launch on January 15 after a year of speculation as to when the episodes will drop.
Posting the trailer on her Instagram account, Meghan wrote: ‘I have been so excited to share this with you! I hope you love the show as much as I loved making it.
‘Wishing you all a fantastic new year! Thanks to our amazing crew and the team. Beyond grateful for the support – and fun!’ She signed off: ‘As ever, Meghan.’
Describing the series in an official synopsis, Netflix says: ‘In With Love, Meghan, we join Meghan in the kitchen, garden — and even at the beehive — as she prepares to host friends both old and new.
‘Sharing some of her favorite tips and tricks for cooking, gardening, crafting, and more, Meghan reveals how even the most minute details can help add beauty to our lives and, most importantly, help bring people together.
‘Whether it’s preparing take-home gifts for guests or adding a sprinkle of edible flowers to breakfast, it’s truly the thought that counts.’
Speaking in the trailer, Meghan says: ‘I’ve always loved taking something pretty ordinary and elevating it, surprising people with moments that let them know I was really thinking of them.
‘I’m going to share some little tips and tricks and how you incorporate these practices every day.
‘This is about connecting with friends… We’re not in the pursuit of perfection we’re in the pursuit of joy.’
Meghan’s announcement comes a day after the Duchess dramatically returned to Instagram with a video of her laughing on the beach near Montecito.
The Duchess of Sussex, 43, shared her first clip on the Instagram account, simply titled ‘@meghan’.
Prince Harry was behind the camera of the new video, which sparked a frenzy online, as tens of thousands of people followed it in a matter of minutes, ballooning the account from 115,000 fans to almost 170,000.
It has long been rumoured the profile belonged to her after the account was set up back in June, 2022, but remained empty. She then teased fans again in 2023 when she declared she was ‘getting back on Instagram’.
Now the mother-of-two has confirmed the profile is hers, by posting a clip walking towards the shoreline at the beach in California, where she lives with Prince Harry, and children Archie, five, and Lilibet, three.
The move is a huge u-turn for the Duchess, and is understood to be part of a new chapter for the couple and their lives in America, with her and Harry having previously ditched social media after quitting their royal duties.
In her new clip, Meghan is seen drawing the digits of the New Year – ‘2025’ – into the sand, perhaps hinting an upcoming project.
A beaming Duchess is then filmed running off camera as she giggles.
As well as her first post, the @meghan account also updated its profile picture to a black-and-white shot of Meghan smiling and wearing and elegant white dress.
The return to Instagram comes after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex vowed never to return to social media after claiming to have dealt with an ‘almost unsurvivable’ amount of abuse.
Meghan originally shut down all of her social media accounts in January 2018, just after getting engaged to Prince Harry.
‘Ms Markle is grateful to everyone who has followed her social media accounts over the years, however as she has not used them for some time she has taken the decision to close them,’ a Kensington Palace source said at the time.
In 2020, Meghan and Harry stopped posting to their Sussex Royal Instagram and Twitter accounts.
The royal couple have frequently spoken out about the abuse they received online, despite continuing to use online media to promote their ‘progressive’ new roles in the US – including most-recently via a podcast on Spotify.
But in 2023 it was revealed that Meghan had set up an Instagram account – although yesterday was the first time she had posted anything on it.