The Duchess of Sussex was having a sit-down with Sara Blakely, who became a billionaire after creating Spanx.

Doug Eldridge, a branding expert and the founder of Achilles PR, claimed to Fox News Digital that the former American actress’ “confessions” from this past season only continue to brand the former American actress as “inauthentic.”

“The personal revelations were inevitable but terribly inauthentic,” Eldridge told Fox News Digital. “It’s like humidity – you can’t see it, but you feel it and it’s undeniable. For Meghan, this was a tactic to try and become more relatable to her audience, but you can’t fake authenticity; you either have it or you don’t. This has been an ongoing struggle for her.”

“In terms of the royal family, her indirect references continue to hurt her with the target audience,” Eldridge claimed.

Meghan Markle, an American actress, became the Duchess of Sussex when she married Britain’s Prince Harry. (Samir Hussein/WireImage/Getty Images)

“The perpetual use of the ‘victim card’ has backfired,” he claimed. “Over a long enough timeline, the cracks in the story – coupled with the past allegations of her mistreatment of staff – have turned into gaping fissures.”

Meghan Markle previously had a podcast for Spotify, “Archetypes,” which featured celebrity guests. The Duchess of Sussex and the audio giant parted ways in 2023. (AP Photo/Stefan Jeremiah)

“Not only does this fail to move the ball forward for Meghan, but it’s akin to a series of self-inflicted holding penalties; she started at midfield, but now she’s back on her one-yard line,” Eldridge added.

“With Love, Meghan” showed audiences glimpses of Montecito, where the Duke and Duchess of Sussex reside. (Netflix)

Markle’s comments about money got a big reaction from listeners. The royal couple is far from struggling in California.

Forbes previously reported that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex signed a five-year, $100 million contract with Netflix in 2020. That year, they splurged on a $14.7 million home in the wealthy, coastal city of Montecito, the outlet reported.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped back as senior royals in 2020.

In 2021, Meghan’s husband, Prince Harry, told Oprah Winfrey in a televised tell-all that the royal family “literally cut me off financially” after their royal exit. The 40-year-old noted that he had money left to him by his late mother, Princess Diana.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex spoke to Oprah Winfrey in 2021. (Harpo Productions)

“Without that, we wouldn’t have been able to do this,” said the prince, referring to the couple’s California move. While they signed deals with Netflix and Spotify after their exit, Harry told the talk show mogul “that was never part of the plan.”

In the final episode of her podcast, the mother of two also described the difficulties she faced in running a business. She originally launched her lifestyle company as American Riviera Orchard in March 2024, but rebranded it to As Ever in February 2025 due to reported trademark woes. She partnered with Netflix, which premiered her lifestyle series, “With Love, Meghan” in March of this year.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped back as senior royals and moved to California. (Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Intrepid Sea, Air, & Space Museum)

“I was gonna do it all by myself, took a complete U-turn because I really believe in what Netflix and their CPG department are doing, but it is a different experience than if you’re doing it on your own,” said the 43-year-old. “When you only have yourself to answer to, I think it’s twofold: It can be incredibly liberating, it can be incredibly lonely.”

Several royal experts questioned what Meghan Markle’s future will look like as an entrepreneur. (Kristy Wigglesworth – Pool/Getty Images)

During that same episode, the “Suits” alum spoke about her pregnancy as a working royal. She gave birth to her son, Prince Archie, in 2019, while they were still working royals.

“I always wear my five-inch, pointy-toed stilettos,” said Meghan about her past maternity style.

She noted that a friend remarked to her, “You have the most enormous bump, and your tiny little ankles are bracing themselves in these high heels.’”

Meghan Markle kept her second pregnancy more private in California. She welcomed her daughter, Princess Lilibet, in 2021. (Reuters)

“But all my weight was in the front,” said Meghan. “So you’re just going, ‘How on Earth am I not just tipping, you know, face planting?’ I was clinging very closely to my husband, like, ‘Please don’t let me fall.’”

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle attend a Commonwealth Day Youth Event on March 11, 2019, in London. The couple welcomed their son, Prince Archie, in May of that year. (Samir Hussein/WireImage/Getty Images)

In a previous episode, Meghan also admitted that royal motherhood didn’t go according to plan.

“I will say, for myself, especially when they are baby babies, and before I was a mom, I’ve always wanted to be a mom,” she said. “I was like, ‘Oh gosh, I’m going to give a speech with a baby on my hip.’ I had a whole vision. Granted, I had a lot of external things happening by the time I had both pregnancies and both babies. But it was not the way I envisioned it.”

 

Since the couple’s royal exit in 2020, they’ve publicly spoken about their struggles. (Chris J Ratcliffe/Getty Images)

Following Meghan’s statements, Eldridge is adamant that her relatable role isn’t convincing.

 

Meghan Markle admitted that royal motherhood was not the way she envisioned it. (Pool/Samir Hussein/WireImage/Getty Images)

“The ongoing struggle for Meghan has been authenticity,” he said. “If you want ad dollars, you need eyeballs. If you want eyeballs, you need connection. If you want connection, you need relatability. If you want relatability, you need authenticity. You have to follow the blueprint as it’s laid out. You can’t skip steps, take shortcuts or devalue certain variables. If you do, your structure will never have a solid foundation, and without that, you have nothing.”

 

The Duchess of Sussex’s Netflix series, “With Love, Meghan,” premiered in March. It was quickly panned by critics. (Netflix)

“My brand advice has been evergreen: drop the act, quit the victim marketing and just be yourself,” said Eldridge. “The show and podcast were your chance to do just that, yet most viewers seem to think you’ve rolled another gutter ball.”

 

Meghan Markle arrives at the Paley Honors Fall Gala on Dec. 4, 2024, in Beverly Hills, California. (Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)

British royal expert Hilary Fordwich claimed to Fox News Digital that the podcast just didn’t have “Markle Sparkle” to prompt a second season. It’s noted that unlike her previous podcast “Archetypes” on Spotify, which had an all-star guest list, “Confessions,” is focused on conversations with female entrepreneurs.

But it’s the star power that will attract a wider audience, Fordwich insisted.

In “Archetypes,” Meghan Markle’s previous podcast, she interviewed celebrities like Mariah Carey and Serena Williams. (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)

“Given the dearth of high-profile guests… a future series looks unlikely,” Fordwich claimed. “Not only has she failed to attract marquee names, but her show has also received harsh criticism due to being so shallow, yet again self-focused and lacking substantive business acumen. She has failed to deliver beneficial advice to the audience.”

“Her conversations are centered on her own narrative,” Fordwich claimed. “She fails to probe her guests who could share valid experiences and/or practical tips… There has [also] been an overall lack of media buzz… Her inauthenticity has rendered her unpopular on both sides of the Atlantic… She’s had a rather privileged background… and yet her [comments] rang hollow, undermining her very own efforts to connect with even her own fans.”

Royal experts urged Meghan Markle to revamp her public image so that she can appear more authentic to her audience. (Gotham/GC Images/Getty Images)

“Her podcasting career is uncertain with her plummeting popularity… without significant changes,” Fordwich added.

Eldridge said it’s “difficult to say” what Meghan’s future as a business woman is or what her podcast will look like if she doesn’t revamp her image.

“If Meghan is still trying to find herself and her voice, then it’s going to be nearly impossible to disambiguate who her audience is,” warned Eldridge. “You need gasoline and oil – authenticity and audience. Right now, Meghan has neither.”

Meghan Markle launched her lifestyle brand, As Ever, in April of this year. Her products sold out in under an hour. New products haven’t been restocked yet. (Anwar Hussein/WireImage via Getty Images)

Royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams told Fox News Digital that there’s no doubt Meghan has more in store for audiences. He pointed out that new episodes of “With Love, Meghan” will premiere this fall. Still, “Confessions” needs more – much more.

New episodes of “With Love, Meghan” are expected to drop in the fall. (Chris Delmas/AFP via Getty Images)

“Her previous podcast ‘Archetypes’… did better than ‘Confessions,’” he said. “It needed Beyoncé and Taylor Swift or their equivalent… Maybe this shows that Meghan really isn’t interesting enough.”

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex parted ways with Spotify in 2023. Meghan partnered with Lemonada Media in 2024, leading to the launch of “Confessions.”

Royal expert Ian Pelham Turner sees things differently.

Royal expert Ian Pelham Turner is hopeful that Meghan Markle can rise above critics. (Reuters)

“Meghan is a born survivor,” he told Fox News Digital. “With Harry and the children by her side, she will find natural ways of engaging with her audience. She is the type of royal that ethnic communities in Britain long for to represent them… Her natural qualities will come out on top.”

Meghan Markle has been accused of being inauthentic by royal experts. (Karwai Tang/WireImage/Getty Images)

Eldridge stressed that if Meghan wants to succeed as a solo act, she needs to first understand who her audience is.

“The production cost of a podcast is demonstrably lower than a lifestyle show like she has with Netflix,” he explained. “That said, if the listener numbers aren’t there for the podcast, she won’t have the advertisers and that is ultimately the oil that keeps the engine running. The listeners and guests are the proverbial gasoline that keeps the vehicle moving forward, but without the lubrication of ad dollars, the pistons lock up, and you’re on the side of the road.”

“Confessions of a Female Founder” featured the Duchess of Sussex speaking with other female entrepreneurs and friends. (Dominic Lipinski/AFP via Getty Images)

“It remains to be seen whether Meghan will move into the HOV lane with season 2, or be left on the shoulder with her blinkers on,” he added.

Princess Kate ‘at the centre of Team Windsor’ as she backs Prince William

Princess Kate is “at the centre of Team Windsor” as she backs Prince William, a royal commentator has claimed.

The Princess of Wales is taking a no-nonsense approach to becoming Queen, with royal commentators highlighting her transformation into a disciplined future monarch.

Princess Kate ‘at the centre of Team Windsor’ as she backs Prince William.

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Princess Kate and Prince William are the future King and Queen.PA

Kate and William on the Isle of Mull in April 2025.PA

Kate and William to step out together ‘whenever possible’ as Kensington Palace plans future engagements.

Getty

Royal commentators predict Kate will be quickly embraced by the public as Queen when the time comes. Fordwich is adamant that the Princess’s “future is looking bright”, citing her “admirable stoicism and discretion, which she has consistently displayed during difficult periods”.

“Without a doubt, Princess Catherine’s toughness is a brilliant combination of resilience, self-discipline and emotional maturity – qualities which have rendered her the most popular of royals and crucial for the monarchy’s future stability as well as public image,” Fordwich told Fox.

The commentator emphasised that Kate represents “a vital anchor for the future of the monarchy” in an ever-changing world.

Polling shows that “the British public’s faith in the monarchy is bolstered by Catherine’s visible strength and reliability”, particularly as she and William represent “a solid collective future” during chaotic times.

Meghan Markle made ‘impossible’ demands for 2022 Vogue covers, ‘not even Beyoncé’ gets

The outlet reported that Markle wanted the cover, but Enniful already had a star, Linda Evangelista, booked — causing Markle to pull the plug and causing a falling out between the former friends.

But we hear scheduling wasn’t the only reason the cover never materialized.

A source tells us Markle wanted a “global cover,” appearing on the covers of UK and US Vogue simultaneously, along with a list of demands.

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“Meghan asked for control over [the] photographer, writer, final edit, photos, cover lines, and wanted a global issue,” says a source.

We hear there was no way any editor would agree.

“Nobody gets that. Not even Beyoncé,” says the source.

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We hear Markle even set up a personal Zoom call with Wintour in order to try and pitch her on the idea.

“Anna wasn’t interested,” says the source, adding the mag already had its own cover star, Serena Williams.

While Markle was not in the running, the source tells us: “Meghan asked for a Zoom with her to reconsider, and Anna did it to be polite.”

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Adele is the only celebrity to appear on both US and UK covers simultaneously for the November 2021 issues.

However, another source insisted that Markle never sought a cover from Vogue, and that the mag had actually approached her multiple times after her wedding to Prince Harry.

Enninful had previously asked Markle to be on the cover of British Vogue’s 2019 “Forces for Change” issue, but she chose to guest edit instead, the source said.

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