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I'm not sure either Netflix or Meghan Markle will be popping open the champagne tomorrow to mark the one-year anniversary of the launch of With Love, Meghan. The highly mocked cooking and lifestyle show was meant to be the Duchess of Sussex's big break - one of many ventures that she anticipated would propel her into Hollywood fame and prosperity.

But as with her Spotify contract, children's book, 40x40 initiative digital shop and second attempt at podcasting, her show was a humiliating flop. The series, which saw her invite celebrity guests to a rented Montecito mansion where they would enjoy homemade food and discuss hosting and gardening tips, was brutally dismissed by TV critics.

It was described as "contrived," "a failed attempt at relatability", "a painful watch" and "out of touch". And crucially, the series failed to pull in big viewing numbers.

Official figures show the first season, which was due to launch in January 2024 but was pushed back due to the LA wildfires, failed to break into the top 300 most-watched shows on the streaming platform in the first six months of 2025.

It was watched 5.3 million times and ranked 383rd.

Her second season (filmed at the same time as the first) ranked even worse and was the 1,224th most-watched programme on Netflix between July and December 2025 - not exactly something to boast about.

The hour-long holiday special also ranked poorly, coming in at 1,002nd with 2.4 million views.

The dismal viewing figures explain why Netflix has no plans to commission another season.

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When Netflix signed its multi-million-pound deal with the duke and duchess shortly after they stepped down as senior working royals, executives must have thought they were onto a huge money spinner.

This was exemplified by the success of their documentary, which charted their whirlwind romance and decision to quit the Royal Family in favour of a new life in America.

It shot up the Netflix charts and within four days it became their most viewed documentary ever and reached the Top 10 TV list in a whopping 85 countries.

Their fly-on-the-wall documentary, released two years after their bombshell royal exit, was bound to draw in viewers as they wanted to hear why they left the institution in their own words.

But any attempt by Harry and Meghan to produce shows themselves or transition into a new sphere outside of their anti-royal brand was unlikely to ever attract similar audiences.

That's why it was such a gamble for the streaming giant to sign a multi-year contract with the couple, rather than agree to just their freedom flight documentary.

Perhaps they had hoped that Meghan's divisiveness would draw in viewers, or maybe they thought she was offering a genuinely good product.

But a year on, they must be realising what a mistake that was - so no wonder they've decided to cut their losses and put an end to the show after just one round of filming.

Meghan was given a chance to relaunch herself as a relatable, loveable homemaker. But for some reason she fails to cut through to audiences and instead comes across as inherently unlikeable.

As another door closes on her ambitions to launch a successful career, she is focusing all her energy on her lifestyle brand, As Ever. Exciting things are on the horizon, sources insist, as she continues to promote her jams, wines and flower sprinkles on her Instagram account. Only time will tell if that will stick, or also join the growing list of failed ventures.