After nearly a decade of Meghan Markle’s public image being shaped by others, her new Netflix show, With Love, Meghan, allows her to reclaim her own narrative.

By 2016, Meghan had already gained a loyal fanbase for her role as Rachel Zane in Suits. However, everything changed when her relationship with Prince Harry became public that November. From that point on, she became the subject of relentless media scrutiny, with coverage often laced with double standards and racial undertones. The press painted her as an outsider disrupting the monarchy, turning her into a divisive figure overnight.

For years, Meghan’s story has been tied to her royal life—whether through the British media or her own projects like Harry’s memoir Spare and their Netflix docuseries Harry & Meghan. But With Love, Meghan finally shifts the focus.

The eight-episode lifestyle series, launched alongside her new brand As Ever, explores Meghan’s personal tips on food, home-making, and party planning. The show’s synopsis describes it as an invitation to “embrace playfulness over perfection” and find beauty in the unexpected. Meghan is joined by familiar faces like chef Roy Choi, actress Mindy Kaling, and Suits co-star Abigail Spencer, as she shares her favorite recipes and anecdotes from her personal life.

For the first time in years, Meghan steps away from discussions about the royal family and media controversies. Instead, viewers get to see her in a more relaxed setting, reconnecting with her past interests—something reminiscent of her now-defunct lifestyle blog, The Tig.

The show is part of the couple’s $100 million Netflix deal, which has produced mixed results so far. While Harry & Meghan attracted widespread attention, other projects like Heart of Invictus and Polo failed to make a splash. But With Love, Meghan seems to be the strongest addition to their portfolio yet.

In many ways, it feels like Meghan is returning to what she was always meant to do. The series captures her effortlessly guiding guests through recipes and heartfelt conversations, with little mention of the struggles she has faced over the past decade. Instead, she reminisces about her early days on Suits, childhood memories like her grandmother’s apple butter, and her experiences as a mother to Archie and Lilibet.

The show exudes warmth, making viewers feel as though they’re guests in her home (even though it isn’t filmed there). For skeptics who argue that this is just another carefully curated version of Meghan, that may be true—but at least this time, she is controlling the narrative.

With Love, Meghan fits comfortably into the celebrity lifestyle genre, drawing comparisons to Martha Stewart’s polished elegance and Jamie Oliver’s easygoing approach to cooking. What sets it apart is Meghan’s willingness to bring in unskilled guests, making the recipes feel accessible and inviting. Each segment has a clear purpose—such as planning a tea party with Mindy Kaling, designed to be enjoyable for both kids and adults.

Of course, the show won’t appeal to everyone, and it doesn’t reinvent the genre. But for those who want to see Meghan outside of the usual controversies, this offers a refreshing new perspective. It marks the start of a new chapter for her, and it will be interesting to see where she takes it next.