Admittedly, it's Packed with Gibberish, Over-the-Top Hospitality and Psychobabble. But I Do Adore Meghan's Holiday Special.
No considering the time of year, it's perpetually hunting season for commentary on the Meghan Markle's televisual offering, With Love, Meghan. Critics, both professional and armchair, have seldom found such common ground as when gleefully ripping the lifestyle show's initial installments to shreds. The common opinion was that a bigger monarchy-related faux pas had never been witnessed than the much-discussed pretzel re-packaging incident.
Presently, like a merry renegade master, she makes a comeback with a new offering with a "Christmas Special" (aka a holiday episode). Yet now, it's different. The standard components audiences anticipate – vague self-help platitudes, intense hospitality – are still present, but set of a yuletide episode, it all clicks into place. The puzzle has come together; it's a perfect snow storm.
At this stage, Meghan is like the quirky relative at Christmas celebrations everywhere – providing unasked-for guidance, and supplying the periodic peculiar declaration. ("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 aura is known and unexpectedly soothing. And she seems pleased; she's inflicting a bit of damage.
She is aware her all subtle gestures, word and glance will be dissected and judged, but nonetheless looks unburdened and remarkably at ease.
Maybe this is the initial instance in history where that well-worn saying – "Don't listen, it's pure jealousy" – might be true. Because, in all honesty, each element in Meghan's Holiday Celebration honestly feels lovely. Yes, it's all painfully excessive, silliness and flamboyant – but is that not just what Christmas is for? And the words she speaks might be ridiculous, but the example she sets genuinely looks impeccably styled.
Anything she sets her mind to, she accomplishes with flair. Her culinary efforts looks tasty, the holiday arrangement she makes is stunning, her presents are nearly too beautiful to unwrap. Not a single thing is ordinary or ugly – including the way she secures her kitchen garment is artful and chic. She doesn't throw a dish in the microwave, it "takes a twirl", and she wraps wrapping paper like an craft master. She also seems to be genuinely relishing herself throughout. How could any cynical observer not be convinced, overcome by holiday spirit and left with a powerful yearning for personalized Christmas crackers or a crudites platter where greens is positioned in the form of a Christmas ring?
Meghan had a career in acting for a living, naturally, but despite that, after the intensity of scrutiny she has endured since she met Prince Harry, a theoretical combination of acting royalty would find it hard to appear this authentically. Her unwillingness to alter or even moderate her persona, despite it being so constantly, globally mocked, is oddly heartening. In our volatile world, here is one thing we can rely on: Meghan will stay true to form, whatever happens. We will forever know where we are with her.
If you're not yet convinced by her message, a reminder that will undoubtedly come as a comfort: you aren't required to. There isn't national service these days, and if there were, it would be doubtful to include streaming With Love, Meghan: Holiday Celebration. If, conversely, you willingly check it out and are overcome with longing about her idyllic Christmas, all is not lost either. Whether you're a duchess or a office worker, hardly any child fully understands the time and energy their mum puts in in December. So you can take heart by picturing the young royals' faces when they open a beautifully scripted letter that says, 'I love you because you are brave,' from a homemade Advent calendar, in place of a sweet treat.
