EDWINA BARTHOLOMEW: Why I hope Meghan’s new Netflix show With Love, Meghan is a huge success

I’ve covered their wedding, the birth of their first child, their Australian tours so it felt right to show up for the latest chapter of the Sussex story: With Love, Meghan.

The new lifestyle show premiered on Netflix at 7pm Tuesday here in Australia.

There were no screeners given out to journalists, which usually happens a week or two before a new show airs.

We were only shown a few teaser trailers including one where Meghan makes a fruit platter in the shape of a rainbow with yoghurt for clouds.

It’s like Netflix is trying to make us all hate her.

So, last night I got the kids to bed early and settled in to watch Meghan do her thang. I found myself really wanting her to succeed.

Let me tell take you back.

A few years ago I made a negative comment on Sunrise about Harry and Meghan.

This was in their heyday when they were still part of the core royal family and extremely popular, particularly in the US.

I can’t even remember exactly what the news item was but I thought they were being a bit disrespectful to the Queen and said as much, live on air.

I was bombarded with hate mail and had to shut down my socials for about a week.

The words “Harry” and “Meghan” still feature on my list of hidden Instagram words because I got so jack of the never-ending vitriol.

Since then, the whole world has turned on the royal couple.

First, they bared all to Oprah and then came their first full Netflix documentary where nothing was off-limits.

Even the ill health of the King and the Princess of Wales, couldn’t repair the family rift that left Harry on one side of the Atlantic and his family on the other.

One of the huge criticisms of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, as they are still known, is that they wanted to keep to themselves and yet continually showed up at public events and on quasi royal tours.

What is crystal clear from this new show is that the royal couple never wanted privacy.

They just wanted freedom.

Now, thanks to that title and the unfortunate events of the past few years, Meghan has the vehicle she needs to turn her lifestyle blog, The Tig, into big-budget TV.

The show is beautifully shot.

Meghan doesn’t pretend to be a lifestyle expert but says she is simply learning.

If you desperately want to get a glimpse inside the couple’s Montecito home, you’ll be disappointed.

The recipes are shot in a stunt kitchen with an impeccably styled fridge and brand new oven.

The recipes are not overly complicated but they are beautiful with a sprinkle of edible flowers over pretty much everything, even the frittata.

It feels like my Instagram algorithm on screen; rainbow fruit platters, star shaped peanut butter and jam sandwiches, homemade balloon arches and what Meghan calls the “tiny details and little moments” of being a hostess.

The intimate insights are few and far between.

The odd family photos pop up as Bing Crosby’s, Don’t Fence Me In plays in the background.

She also explains to her friend Mindy Kaling that she is no longer “Meghan Markle” but “Meghan Sussex” and how much it means to her to share a name with her kids.

This is no “at home with Haz and Megs”.

Prince Harry doesn’t appear until four minutes and 18 seconds before the end of the eight episodes.

He walks into the garden party, gives his wife a big hug and says, “Well done, you did a great job. I love it”.

I bet he really does.

After years of being lost in the royal wilderness, admittedly with the many perks and cash that comes with that life, Meghan is back doing something she loves.

This is her jam, literally.

Imagine knowing that every product you put out, every post you put on Instagram, every word you utter would be scrutinised the world over?

Imagine having to turn every single comment off on every single channel because you know you will be universally picked on?

I willingly put my hand up and admit I have been critical of the couple in years gone. But enough is enough.

The bullying Meghan has endured is on such an epic scale that it actually feels shameful.

The show is saccharine.

It’s very American.

It’s also very watchable.

Meghan is still extremely stylish; even though I had grave concerns for her white linen pants in the pasta sauce episode.

She is not Martha Stewart but it’s clearly not all bunged-on either.

You get the sense she actually does prepare her own bath salts and homemade dog biscuits for guests.

Good for her.

I hope the show is a huge success.

I hope Harry and Meghan can forge their own path and find a new purpose beyond the Royals.

Let them use the title.

Let them eat the crepes.

Let them live.

I’m off to style my fridge.