‘Things have changed’: Meghan Markle becoming ‘more conservative’ in order to survive new political climate

Based on the trailer for her new series, the former senior royal, 43, is showing a different side of her — one that embraces an idyllic, home-centered life. She’ll be cooking meals, baking cakes, arranging flowers, and many more with people close to her. Even her husband, Prince Harry, 40, appears toward the end of the snippet. The show was reportedly filmed in a farmhouse next to the couple’s Montecito mansion.

In December, we learned that Prince Harry and Markle could hit a financial snag if they were to flee the U.S. after Trump won the election. They paid $14 million for their luxurious abode, and home prices in the area were down 14.1%, so they could suffer a significant loss if they were to sell it and move somewhere. Not only that, there were stories about their immediate neighbors voicing concerns over Markle’s preference to rub elbows with Hollywood’s elite instead of the locals of their community.

Sneak peek of “with love, Meghan” coming March 4th

I’m so excited to see Meghan in her element 🥹🤍#WithLoveMeghan pic.twitter.com/teepszTuad

— meghan updates ❦ (@meghanmupdates) February 27, 2025

But now the Duchess seems to be showcasing a dreamy side of her neighborhood and life in California through her show. Critics have since called it a calculated move to improve her image and step away from the more outspoken persona she cultivated after marrying into the Royal Family. Marketing experts, in particular, suggest that this is just Markle’s way of shifting the attention amid the relentless backlash she’s getting.

Pauline MacLaran, a professor of marketing at Royal Holloway University of London, told AFP that Markle may have settled on a “safer route” with this latest project. The wholesome aesthetic of With Love, Meghan seemingly echoes the carefully curated content of her now-defunct lifestyle blog, The Tig, which she ran from 2014 to 2017. “She tried a few different things but hasn’t been successful, so she’s trying again with a different approach. It looks like she’s trying to be more conservative, going for a more traditional role,” MacLaran explained.

For years, Markle has been an outspoken advocate for women’s rights, proudly calling herself a feminist. During the 2016 U.S. election, she even made headlines for openly calling out Trump and referring to him as “divisive” and a “misogynist.” But her latest endeavor has some raising eyebrows, questioning whether she is now conforming to a more traditional, even old-fashioned, image.

Trump on Meghan Markle: 'I wish a lot of luck to Harry, because he's gonna need it' https://t.co/cTJRyhphDd pic.twitter.com/JowQdKV5ID

— New York Post (@nypost) September 23, 2020

For Finola Kerrigan, a professor of marketing at the University of Birmingham who also spoke with AFP, Markle may not have much of a choice in the matter. “Maybe when the political tone was more progressive it was fine to express an opinion. Now, things have changed,” she pointed out. “I don’t think that Meghan has the mechanism to take on that role, and whatever she does, she’s criticized.”

Interestingly, while Markle is refining her image under the Trump istration, Prince Harry has somehow chosen a different approach. In what appeared to be a thinly veiled dig at the current president, the royal prince recently used a speech at the Upfronts Summit in Los Angeles to condemn “a sickness in leadership across sectors — from politics to tech.”

“When service to others is sacrificed for personal gain. When basic morals and empathy are abandoned in favor of power and control. But I’m not gonna get into all that now!” Prince Harry bravely quipped even though just hours prior, his father, King Charles, extended a high-profile invitation for Trump to stay at Windsor Castle. The timing, of course, could just be coincidental. But then again, knowing Prince Harry’s history with the Royal Family, it could also be intentional and rather contradictory, if Meghan is doing what everyone thinks she is doing.