By Nicolas Ayala
In a media landscape littered with fleeting fame and hyperbolic hype, Martha Stewart remains an unshakable constant—like a Tony Stark of the lifestyle realm, she’s been innovating, rebranding, and owning the genre long before it was cool. Now, with Meghan Markle crashing the scene through her Netflix series With Love, Meghan and lifestyle brand As Ever, Stewart’s measured—and honestly, masterful—response says more than praise ever could.
Martha Stewart’s late but meaningful nod to Meghan Markle’s Netflix debut
“Has it started?” Stewart casually asked in an Access Hollywood interview earlier this year, when asked about Markle’s cooking-and-crafting-into-the-void-heroine show. It was a question that doubled as a wink from someone who’s seen the genre evolve from PBS perfection to streaming saturation. And though she hadn’t yet tuned in, Stewart made sure to add, “I’ll watch an episode and see how she does. I’m curious.”
Stewart’s curiosity isn’t just casual—it’s tactical. In a world where media figures often rush to comment, the queen of lifestyle waits, watches, and lets the content do the talking. It’s the same strategy that’s kept her relevant from Martha Stewart Living to Yes, Chef!, her latest NBC cooking competition where she’s joined by humanitarian culinary legend José Andrés.
José Andrés’s praise for Markle adds a powerful layer to the conversation
Stewart’s co-host Andrés didn’t hold back in his admiration for Markle. Speaking from experience, he lauded her role in the L.A. wildfire relief efforts, highlighting how she “show[ed] up, in different places to feed people... not trying to take attention or anything to herself.”
For a figure like Andrés—who literally risks his life to feed the hungry through World Central Kitchen—to recognize Markle’s genuine involvement speaks volumes. It transforms her image from duchess-turned-decorator to a real-world hero rolling up her sleeves, not just for the camera, but for the cause. And Stewart, ever the keen observer, surely takes note.
With Love, Meghan isn’t just a show—it’s Markle’s welcome to the lifestyle superhero league
Released in March 2025, With Love, Meghan quickly climbed Netflix’s Top 10, fueled by its blend of aspirational flair and approachable charm. Season two is already in the bag, set to drop this fall, giving Markle’s audience more tea parties, garden sessions, and crafting chaos with guests like Mindy Kaling and Abigail Spencer.
Critics in the lifestyle space have been divided. Bethenny Frankel called Markle’s brand pivot an “identity issue,” while Food Network’s Sandra Lee praised the show’s “calming, serene content” and even celebrated a shared dessert hack moment. Gwyneth Paltrow, despite early detachment, has since aligned herself with Markle, debunking Goop-vs.-As Ever rumors with a sweet (literally) Instagram Q&A.
Martha Stewart’s legacy gives context to her guarded but genuine interest
Stewart isn’t just another voice in the mix—she’s the origin story of what Meghan is now trying to build. Her multiple eponymous shows, empire of books, product lines, and brand resiliency through scandals and cultural shifts make her the lifestyle world’s Professor X. When she says she’s “curious,” it means she’s assessing whether Markle’s approach has the substance to outlast the sparkle.
And Markle’s show, with its “embracing playfulness over perfection” mantra, might just be the kind of evolution Stewart herself would approve of. It’s a genre mutation—melding gardening with vulnerability, cooking with cultural commentary, and lifestyle with legitimacy. Meghan’s not just entering the ring; she’s bringing a bouquet of herbs and a camera crew.
This isn’t just about celebrity—it’s about cultural legacy and female reinvention
Markle’s journey from royal to realtor of aesthetic experience mirrors a larger cultural shift—women reclaiming spaces, redefining relevance, and doing it through jars of honey and homemade jam. Stewart’s quiet watchfulness and Andrés’s active praise combine to form a powerful endorsement from two very different but equally authentic corners of the culinary and lifestyle worlds.
In a way, Stewart and Markle represent two points on the same arc: mastery and metamorphosis. One built the blueprint, the other is remixing it for a streaming generation hungry for both calm and content. And that, my friends, is the real magic of modern media—when the Martha Stewarts of the world start watching, you know you’re onto something.