In her quest to build a relatable lifestyle brand, Meghan Markle recently offered a rare glimpse into the intimate daily rituals that shape her family's serene Montecito home life.
But instead of inspiring connection, her revelations about healing blankets, morning music, and 'rose and thorn' discussions with her children have sparked a wave of online derision, with critics blasting the Duchess of Sussex as 'insufferable' and utterly 'out of touch.'
The Duchess, 44, shared these personal details during an appearance alongside her college friend Courtney Adamo at Godmother's Bookstore in Summerland, California, on Thursday, 23 October.
The event, ostensibly to promote Adamo's new book, The Family Home: Inspiring Ideas for a Home Filled with Joy, quickly turned into a deep dive into Meghan Markle's own curated domesticity, providing fresh ammunition for her detractors.
Soothing Music and Scented Candles: The Carefully Crafted World of Meghan Markle
During the chat, streamed on the , Meghan Markle revealed the specific routines she employs to create a peaceful environment for her husband, Prince Harry, and their children, Archie, 6, and Lilibet, 4. 'First thing I do when I wake up in the morning is turn the music on in the house,' the Suits alum shared, explaining how she sets the tone for the day.
This commitment to sensory details extends beyond her Montecito mansion. When travelling, she ensures the family's ritual continues with portable speakers and another essential item. 'I always travel with a candle. I am so conscious and sensitive to fragrance, and I associate that with home,' she explained.
Healing Blankets and Family Chats: The Parenting Philosophy of Meghan Markle
The Duchess also shared specific parenting techniques. When one of her children feels unwell, she reaches for a special 'healing blanket,' a gift from Victoria Jackson, a former QVC cosmetics mogul and co-owner of the bookstore.
Furthermore, she described engaging her children in 'rose and thorn' discussions at the end of the day, a method designed to encourage detailed sharing about the highlights and lowlights of their experiences.
She gushed about her daughter's response: 'Our daughter, she's four and she's a very strong personality and she's incredible. And now she's in this moment where I say, 'What's your rose and your thorn?' And she goes, 'My day was just a blast.''
'Insufferable' and 'Ridiculous': The Backlash Against Meghan Markle
While intended to portray a home filled with joy and mindful parenting, these intimate revelations were met with swift and harsh criticism online. Royal watchers and critics wasted no time labelling her descriptions as pretentious and unrelatable.
'Insufferable,' one person declared bluntly on X (formerly Twitter). Another sneered, 'Rose & thorn? Healing blanket? This broad has never dealt with a child in her life!'
A thread dedicated to the appearance echoed the sentiment, with users calling her insights 'ridiculous drivel.' 'She's just weird. Her ideas are weird. No one does this,' wrote another user about her lifestyle routines.
Some critics framed the appearance as a sign of her diminished status since leaving the Royal Family in 2020. One commenter contrasted her current activities with her former life, noting she had gone 'From castles and State visits to a dank dungeon of a bookstore.'
A Lifestyle Pivot? Meghan Markle's Continuing Brand Journey
This bookstore chat appears to mark a return to Meghan Markle's aspirations as a domestic influencer, a path she seemed to pause recently for high-profile appearances at and a focused on powerful women in business.
She even shared tips for entertaining, including her unusual habit of greeting guests barefoot. 'It demystifies. People walk in and go, 'Oh, she's in this with me,'' she claimed.
This aligns with her previous efforts to establish herself in the lifestyle space, most notably through her series, With Love, Meghan. Filmed in 2024 and released in two parts, the show focused on cooking, gardening, and entertaining. While a holiday special is planned, Netflix has not yet announced a third season, leaving the future of her influencer ambitions uncertain amidst the persistent public criticism.
