Meghan Markle’s Trailer Sends Haters Wild With Joy

YouTube bravely decided to leave the comments feature enabled when they posted the trailer for Meghan Markle’s new show.

And while one might say it’s unfair to judge an eight-episode show on the basis of a 110-second trailer, the plebs of YouTube clearly have no such qualms.

The trailer racked up over 27,000 comments in its first 72 hours, with some of the musings becoming a mini-viral sensation in their own right. The high numbers may be partly down to the fact that Meghan has disabled comments on her new Instagram page.

While these kind of engagement stats might seem positive, the only problem for Meghan is that the feedback so far is overwhelmingly negative.

Some comments that have received the most thumbs-ups so far include: “That scene with the ice cream scoop. So talented, so brave.”

Another commenter, referring to Meghan’s claim that she likes to take “ordinary” things and “elevate” them-and a report that the series was filmed in a rented home, writes: “I just made scrambled eggs, I elevated them by cooking in somebody else’s kitchen and letting my hair dangle everywhere.”

In a similar vein is the following comment: “OMG She took ordinary hummus and elevated it with ... olive oil. Bless her for trying to save us from depressing dips.”

Plenty of critics have targeted what they see as the fakeness of the show, with one saying; “I just love the authenticity of a bunch of rich women, in super expensive jewelry and full glam, supporting their diamond and cartier wearing friend in designer clothes, making frittata and sponge cake in a house that’s not even hers.”

There are a few positive comments, with one saying, “Love it,” and another saying, “This looks great, let’s go.”

Good or bad, there is clearly a significant anticipation about the show, which streams on January 15.

New Orleans tragedy for Tiggy

The horrific news that Harry and William’s beloved former nanny, Tiggy Legge Bourke, lost her stepson, Edward Pettifer, in the New Orleans truck ramming incident, will cast a huge pall over Harry’s life.

The news will hand fresh ammunition to those, like Meghan McCain, who said it was insensitive of Meghan to launch an aspirational home show just hours after the appalling attack. Others would argue that the world must keep turning, and there is no way Meghan and Harry could have predicted Harry would have such a close connection to the tragedy.

But the connection to both brothers is very close; indeed, William made an official statement of condolence on his social media accounts. He did so despite the fact that just hours earlier Buckingham Palace, having briefed that King Charles was “saddened,” said there would be no further comment. William going against his father in this way shows just how important Tiggy was and is in his life.

If anything, Tiggy is even closer to Harry than she is to William. In his memoir, Harry described the “heart-racing joy” she inspired in him, and she is godmother to his son Prince Archie.

Harry said Tiggy had “been a surrogate mum to me and Willy.”

He also said that she was one of the people who had “chastised” him for his Oprah interview, saying: “How could you reveal such things? About your family?”

William and Harry last came face to face to face at the funeral of their uncle Robert Fellowes. How sad if the next time Harry and William see each other will be at another graveside, and how sad that William and Harry cannot support each other or co-ordinate their own support of this immensely influential figure in their lives.

Thomas Markle says he is leaving Mexico for Southeast Asia

Plenty of the people leaving comments on the YouTube clip mentioned above have remarked on the apparent irony of people in the show saying things like “Now we are family,” when Meghan and Harry have such poor relations with their own families of origin. Now Thomas Markle, Meghan’s dad, who has never met Harry, Archie or Lilibet, has revealed that he is packing up his home in Rosarito, Mexico, and moving to South East Asia. The exclusive report in the Daily Mail says he is doing so having come to accept he will never meet Meghan’s new family.

Reporter Caroline Graham spotted videos of Meghan’s first wedding to Hollywood producer Trevor Engelson in the packing, of which Markle said: “I really liked Trevor…I don’t think he ever understood why she dumped him, either.”

Kate Middleton to keep a low profile for the year ahead

As The Daily Beast has frequently reported, don’t expect to see much of Kate Middleton next year. The Daily Mail cites one source saying: “It’s about pace,” adding she will continue “to confirm only when she is certain she can attend events, rather than get anyone’s hopes up and then have to pull out.”

Another source says: “We will all look forward to seeing her back properly, but only when the time is right.”