The kitchen has become an unexpected battleground for royal watchers, as the Princess of Wales, Kate Middleton, and the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, find their culinary skills under the spotlight. Kate’s knack for baking and cooking has earned her praise, with viral clips showcasing her charm and competence, while Meghan’s new Netflix series, With Love, Meghan, has sparked a mix of admiration and ridicule, with some dishes labeled a “disaster” by critics and netizens. As social media amplifies these contrasting narratives, the tale of Kate’s kitchen triumphs and Meghan’s viral missteps reveals more about public perception than culinary prowess.
Kate’s Kitchen Prowess: A Royal Recipe for Success
Kate Middleton, known for her poise and relatability, has long been celebrated for her hands-on approach in the kitchen. Over the years, she’s shared glimpses of her culinary passion, particularly her love for baking, which she’s passed on to her children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis. In a 2019 conversation with Great British Bake Off judge Dame Mary Berry, Kate revealed her tradition of staying up late to bake birthday cakes, saying, “I love making the cake. It’s become a bit of a tradition that I stay up ‘til midnight with ridiculous amounts of cake mix and icing.” This anecdote, coupled with her relaxed demeanor during cooking engagements, has endeared her to fans.
Viral clips of Kate in the kitchen have only solidified her reputation. A TikTok compilation posted by user katemiddleton.fp in July 2023, viewed over 216,000 times, captured Kate giggling at Prince William’s less-than-stellar attempts to form a pretzel during a 2017 visit to Germany. Her playful reaction, alongside her own competent efforts, highlighted her ease in culinary settings. Another moment, from a 2021 visit to Edinburgh, showed Kate expertly handling dough, with William praising her skills, saying, “Catherine’s very good though.” These moments paint a picture of a princess who, despite her royal status, is comfortable and capable in the kitchen.
Kate’s kitchen at Anmer Hall, described as “unfussy and unpretentious” by interior designer Benji Lewis, reflects her practical approach. Equipped with a £4,200 range cooker and a £499 KitchenAid mixer, it’s a space where she bakes with her children, who stand on stools to reach the counter. A 2022 video showed Union Jack bunting adorning the kitchen, adding a patriotic, homely touch. While Kate has admitted to her own mishaps—like a green ceiling from a spinach soup disaster or “incinerated” baked potatoes forgotten in the Aga—her willingness to laugh at herself only adds to her appeal.
However, not every moment is flawless. In 2023, Kate faced a minor embarrassment during a pancake-flipping event in Slough, where her attempt resulted in a “congealed blob.” She jokingly apologized, saying, “Definitely don’t eat that pancake,” but her charm and humility turned the flop into a relatable moment, with residents cheering her effort. Social media users praised her authenticity, with X posts calling her “so down-to-earth” and “a mum just like us.”
Meghan’s Cooking Show: A Recipe for Controversy
Across the Atlantic, Meghan Markle’s With Love, Meghan, an eight-episode Netflix series launched in January 2025, promised an intimate look into her Montecito kitchen, showcasing cooking, gardening, and hosting tips. Featuring guests like Mindy Kaling and Abigail Spencer, the show aimed to highlight Meghan’s “playfulness over perfection.” However, while some praised her creativity, others branded her efforts a “cooking disaster,” with certain dishes becoming viral for all the wrong reasons.
The series, set in a $5 million rented Montecito mansion, includes recipes like “Ladybug Caprese Bruschetta” and a one-pot skillet spaghetti, alongside quirky tips like creating rainbow fruit platters with flower petals or dunking towels in lavender oil. Critics on X were quick to pounce, with posts calling her dishes “vile” and “inedible.” One user, @unreMARKLEble, described a chicken casserole as “slop,” while @paulamatanovich remarked, “It looks like a dog threw up!” These harsh critiques gained traction, with clips of Meghan’s cooking circulating as memes.
Some viewers also noted similarities between Meghan’s show and existing content, accusing her of lacking originality. Her “Ladybug” appetizer was compared to recipes on Pinterest and TikTok since 2015, and scenes were likened to Emma’s Kitchen, a YouTube series by Emma Thynn, Marchioness of Bath. Additionally, Meghan’s beekeeping segment drew comparisons to Kate’s well-documented hobby, with the Princess of Wales photographed tending hives at Anmer Hall in 2023. These parallels fueled accusations of “copying,” though supporters argued that such recipes and activities are common in lifestyle content.
Meghan’s presentation style also sparked debate. Critics like @HGTudorKTN mocked her “breathy mundane observations” and “excruciating vocal fry,” claiming the show lacked authenticity. A Reddit thread on r/CelebitchyUnderground echoed this, with users describing her as “an alien trying to act human.” Conversely, fans defended her, with @GlowanneLee praising her skillet spaghetti, noting that This Morning recreated it to test its quality. The polarized reactions highlight the intense scrutiny Meghan faces, where every move is dissected.post:5�предприятияweb:21
The Public’s Double Standard
The contrasting narratives around Kate and Meghan’s kitchen endeavors reveal a deeper bias in public perception. Kate’s mishaps, like her pancake flop or green ceiling, are framed as charming and relatable, with media outlets like Woman & Home and Newsweek emphasizing her warmth. Meghan’s efforts, however, are often met with derision, with tabloids like Daily Mail amplifying her perceived failures. A post by @QueenRMade1 on X called out this hypocrisy, questioning why Kate’s awkward pancake moment was praised while Meghan’s show was labeled “cringe & gasghtly” by British media.
This double standard extends beyond cooking. Kate’s domesticity, as noted in a 2014 Daily Mail article, is seen as a strategic embrace of middle-class values, reinforcing her role as a “normal” royal. Meghan’s attempts to carve a similar niche through her lifestyle brand As Ever and Netflix series are often dismissed as inauthentic or overly curated, despite her expressed desire to share “normal” moments, like baking green waffles for St. Patrick’s Day. The scrutiny is compounded by her status as a non-working royal, with critics like those on Reddit arguing she “doesn’t know what she’s doing.”
Beyond the Kitchen: A Tale of Perception
Kate’s kitchen moments are bolstered by her established image as a hands-on mother and relatable royal. Her interactions with William, like laughing at his lumpy sauces or dry steaks, are portrayed as endearing, with clips gaining traction for their lightheartedness. Her Anmer Hall kitchen, with its practical yet luxurious fittings, mirrors this balance of accessibility and privilege. Even her rare flops are spun positively, as seen in X posts praising her “realness.”
Meghan, however, faces an uphill battle. Her show, while ambitious, is judged against the backdrop of her polarizing public image. The viral backlash, amplified by posts like @dra_gaby_luna’s mocking of her “shallow” series, reflects a broader narrative that casts her as out-of-touch. Yet, her defenders, like @GlowanneLee, argue she’s “that girl” for inspiring recreations of her recipes, suggesting her influence persists despite the criticism.
Conclusion
Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle’s kitchen tales highlight more than their culinary skills—they expose the starkly different lenses through which they’re viewed. Kate’s baking triumphs and relatable flops cement her as a beloved figure, with viral moments showcasing her charm. Meghan’s With Love, Meghan, while innovative, has become a lightning rod for criticism, with viral “disasters” overshadowing her creativity. The contrast, evident in media coverage and X posts, reflects a deeper bias that celebrates one woman’s domesticity while questioning the other’s authenticity. As Kate nails the kitchen and Meghan’s missteps go viral, the real story is how public perception shapes their narratives, turning flour and spices into fodder for royal rivalry.
