No considering the season, it's always fair game for commentary on the Duchess of Sussex's televisual offering, With Love, Meghan. Critics, both professional and armchair, have rarely been so united as when eagerly tearing the series' first and second seasons to pieces. The general consensus held that a greater royal outrage had never been witnessed than the much-discussed pretzel-bagging incident.
Currently, like a merry renegade master, she is back with a new offering with a "Holiday Celebration" (or a Christmas special). But this time, it's different. The standard components viewers are accustomed to – meaningless jargon salads, overzealous entertaining – persist, but within the context of a holiday show, it all clicks into place. The elements have slid into place; it's a flawless festive blizzard.
By this point, Meghan has become the oddball family member at the typical holiday get-together – dispensing random tips, and delivering the occasional strange exclamation. ("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 a bit of a character, but her presence is familiar and oddly reassuring. And she looks happy enough; she's causing a bit of damage.
She understands her all subtle gestures, syllable and glance will be analyzed and judged, but manages to seem relaxed and remarkably at ease.
Perhaps this is the first occasion in history where that old chestnut – "Pay no mind, it's only envy" – may well be true. The reason is, you know what?, each element in Meghan's Holiday Celebration is lovely. Granted, it's all painfully excessive, silliness and flamboyant – but is that not precisely what the holiday season is all about? And the advice she gives might be laughable, but the example she sets appears to be beautifully curated.
Anything she sets her mind to, she accomplishes with flair. Her culinary efforts looks delicious, the festive decoration she creates is breathtaking, her presents are practically too exquisite to open. Nothing is mediocre or visually unappealing – even the way she fastens her apron is creative and fashionable. She doesn't bung a meal in the oven, it "goes for a spin", and she wraps gift paper like an craft master. She also seems to be thoroughly enjoying herself from start to finish. How could any hate-watcher not be charmed, bursting with holiday spirit and left with a deep longing for handmade crackers or a vegetable display where greens is arranged in the form of a wreath?
Meghan was once an actress for a living, of course, but despite that, after the intensity of attention she has weathered ever since she met Prince Harry, even a hypothetical offspring of Meryl Streep and Judi Dench would have difficulty behaving this genuinely. Her unwillingness to alter or even tone down her routine, regardless of it being so constantly, internationally ridiculed, is strangely reassuring. In our volatile world, here is one thing we can count on: Meghan will remain herself, no matter what. We will always know our position with her.
If you're not yet convinced by her message, a reminder that will surely come as a reassurance: you aren't required to. We don't have national service these days, and if there were, it would be doubtful to include viewing With Love, Meghan: Holiday Celebration. If, however, you willingly check it out and are consumed by longing about her picture-perfect Christmas, you can take solace either. If you are a royal or a data administrator, hardly any child truly appreciates the dedication and labor their mum expends in the holiday season. So you can take heart by imagining the young royals' faces when they unfold a calligraphy note that says, 'I love you because you are brave,' from a homemade Advent calendar, instead of a sweet treat.
A seasoned software engineer with a passion for open-source projects and tech education.
