Admittedly, it's Packed with Gibberish, Over-the-Top Hospitality and Psychobabble. Yet I Truly Adore Meghan's Holiday Special.
No matter the time of year, it's constantly hunting season for commentary on the Duchess of Sussex's Netflix series, With Love, Meghan. Critics, from seasoned journalists to online pundits, have seldom found such common ground as when enthusiastically shredding the series' earlier episodes apart. The prevailing view held that a bigger monarchy-related faux pas had hardly ever taken place than the much-discussed pretzel re-packaging incident.
Presently, in the spirit of a holiday maverick, she is back with a new offering with a "Festive Special" (also known as a Christmas special). However on this occasion, the dynamic has changed. The standard components viewers are accustomed to – psychobabble word salads, extreme hosting – persist, but within the context of a Christmas special, the purpose becomes clear. The pieces have fallen into place; it's a ideal seasonal storm.
At this stage, Meghan resembles the eccentric aunt at most festive family gatherings – dispensing random tips, and supplying the occasional strange exclamation. ("I love spinach!" … "A tradition has to have a beginning." … "A tree is part of my memory and love of the holiday season.") She's quite a personality, but her presence is familiar and unexpectedly soothing. And she appears happy enough; she's not doing a bit of damage.
She understands her every micro expression, utterance and look will be dissected and judged, but still appears unburdened and too blessed to be stressed.
Perhaps this is the first occasion in history where that clichéd phrase – "Don't listen, it's pure jealousy" – may well be true. Since, in all honesty, everything in Meghan's Holiday Celebration truly is charming. Yes, it's all painfully excessive, silliness and over the top – but doesn't that represent exactly what the holiday season is for? And the words she speaks might be ridiculous, but the walk she's walking seems authentically shop-bought.
Anything she turns her beautifully manicured, diamond-adorned hand to, she pulls off with panache. Her cooking looks scrumptious, the holiday arrangement she creates is gorgeous, her gifts are almost too pretty to unwrap. Nothing is ordinary or aesthetically displeasing – including the way she fastens her kitchen garment is stylish and elegant. She doesn't throw a meal in the oven, it "has a moment", and she folds gift paper like an craft master. She also seems to be completely savoring herself throughout. How could any cynical observer not be charmed, overcome by seasonal cheer and left with a deep longing for handmade crackers or a vegetable display where greens is organized in the shape of a festive circle?
Meghan was once an actress for a living, obviously, but despite that, after the intensity of examination she has weathered from the moment she met Prince Harry, the love child of acting royalty would find it hard to appear this authentically. Her decision to alter or even moderate her shtick, regardless of it being so persistently, globally mocked, is oddly heartening. In our volatile world, here is something we can rely on: Meghan will be like this, whatever happens. We will forever know our position with her.
If you're still not buying her brand, a point that will surely come as a reassurance: you aren't required to. There isn't national service anymore, and were it to return, it would be improbable to include viewing With Love, Meghan: Holiday Celebration. If, however, you choose to watch and are gripped with jealousy about her flawless Christmas, you can take solace either. If you are a duchess or a data administrator, hardly any child truly appreciates the effort and hard work their mum expends in December. So you can take heart by imagining the young royals' faces when they unfold a beautifully scripted letter that says, 'I love you because you are brave,' from a homemade Advent calendar, instead of a candy.
