The scrutiny continues as Archewell Productions faces criticism over new projects, including a romantic comedy adaptation and a documentary, both accused by commentators of blurring the line between storytelling and personal grievance. Meanwhile, the New York Post has named With Love, Meghan among the worst television shows of the year, branding it “bland nothingness.”
Behind the scenes, communications chief Meredith Maines has exited after less than a year, becoming the latest in a long line of Sussex PR departures. Reports suggest the role will not be replaced, fueling further questions about instability inside the operation.
Back in Britain, claims are circulating that Princess Anne is quietly working with Prince William and Queen Camilla to block any reconciliation with Meghan, while tensions at home are said to be rising after Prince Harry took a solo ski trip to Aspen.
And finally, Meghan’s lifestyle ambitions are now facing open satire, with a pilot-run parody brand in California finding global success selling tongue-in-cheek products inspired by life in Montecito.
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Episode Transcript
Calorogus Shark Media at a long and welcome to balance Intrigue.
I'm your host, Mark Francis. There are fresh claims of
tension between Megan Mikel and Netflix over the limits of
her role in future projects, with reports suggesting the streaming
giant has firmly ruled out her ambitions to move into directing.
(00:24):
Celebrity reporter Rob Shooter says the Duchess of Sussex has
been keen to expand her creative control beyond producing, but
has met resistance from Netflix. According to the report, Netflix
has drawn a clear line when it comes to Meghan
directing her planned romantic comedy The Wedding Date. One industry
insider is quoted as saying she was turned down outright,
with no meetings, no maybe's, no second chances. Another source
(00:49):
explained the reasoning, saying they are fine with Meghan as
a producer, but giving her the director's chair that was
never going to happen. Netflix is not interested. The same
report claims Meghan pushed strongly for the role, with one
source saying Meghan didn't just float the idea, she pushed hard.
A further insider alleged that once on set Meghan attempted
to take control of multiple aspects of production, saying she
(01:11):
was trying to micromanage everything, casting choices, camera angles. It
got out of hand fast that, according to the source,
prompted a decisive response from Netflix. They basically said, Nope,
absolutely not. Someone has to draw the line. In the Express,
Jess Phillips writes, Meghan Michael might have just dealt the
ultimate insult to Queen Camilla from her Montecito mansion. The
(01:34):
Duchess of Sussex and her husband Prince Harry have announced
various new projects in recent days, with their production company
Archwell Productions getting involved in both a Netflix rom com
and a new documentary to premiere at the Sundance Festival.
I've written that passed about how I think both are
bad moves for the non working roles, but having taken
a deeper dive into both projects, I've noticed both run
(01:56):
the risk of taking very public swipes at the royal
family Back in the UK, Megan has managed to make
this project well about her. It's gone past focusing on
the girl Scouts and more about Harry and Meg's. She
said in the statement, as a former girl scout, myself
with my mom A's my troop leader. I have a
personal affinity for this film, and I'm proud that all
(02:17):
our conversations and collaborations have led to Archbold Productions partnering
with this award winning team to executive produce this incredibly
captivating documentary. The documentary isn't the only risk she's running.
Archwell has teamed up to produce the rom con The
Wedding Date, adapted from Jasmine Guillery's best selling novel. The
problem with that is that it's the first book in
(02:38):
a series, and the fourth if it gets to a
Netflix adaptation is called Royal Holiday. The plot follows an
American woman traveling to England to work for the Royals.
American Vivian follows from Malcolm, a man who has worked
for the Queen for years. Strangely reminiscent of Harry and
Meghan's real life love story, isn't it Megan and Harry
(02:59):
I once again reshaped their communications operation, with their chief
communications officer, Meredith Mainz, stepping away after less than a
year in the role. Mainz, who joined the team in January,
is departing after roughly ten months. Sources close to her
told Page six she's unflappable and does not complain. She
really enjoyed her time there, but at a certain point
it's time to go. Those familiar with her work say
(03:21):
Mainz came from a background in venture capital and technology,
an unconventional fit for a royal adjacent operation, but when
they argue, proved effective. The source said, coming from the
VC and tech industries, she's used to so many things
going on at all times, and credited her with launching
Meghan's podcast in television projects while overseeing Prince Haroites while
(03:42):
overseeing Prince Harry's charity work. According to that insider, Mains
did what she needed to do and already has a
bunch of stuff lined up for the new year. Mains
herself confirmed the move in a statement saying, after a
year of inspiring work with Prince Harry and Meghan, Duke
and Duchess of Sussex and Archwell, I will be pursuing
a new opportunity in twenty twenty six. I have the
utmost gratitude and respect for the couple and the team
(04:04):
and the good that they are doing in the world.
A spokesperson for the couple who confirmed the change, saying
Meredith Mainz and the Method Communications have concluded their work
with Archwealth. The Duke and Dodges are grateful for their
contributions in which them well. According to the Sun, Mains
will not be replaced as chief Communications Officer, with YUK
and Europe Communications Director Liam Maguire stepping in as the lead.
(04:26):
The outlet also reported that another agency is believed to
have been lined up to handle the couple's communications needs
in the US. This latest departure is said to be
the eleventh publicist or communications figures to part ways with
the Sussexes in the past five years. The Royalist Thom
Sykes writes it will be difficult to spin this as
anything under the crap show. Senior pr figures do not
(04:49):
quit up to seven months unless something has gone badly wrong.
Did Mainz jump or was she pushed? The New York
Post included with Love Megan on their list of worse
TV shows of the year. They write, It's hard to
say what the worst part of this show was. The
lack of its reason to exist, as none of her cooking,
hosting or flour arranging tips were anything you couldn't easily google.
(05:12):
The too obvious artifice of it all as Markel reportedly
didn't even host it in her own home, but a
staged fake TV residence, or merely the fact that there
was dreadfully boring. With Love Megan was a show that
proves that it's not enough to be a celebrity. You
need to have something to say. Otherwise it's planned nothingness
that might as well be on screen static, which is
(05:33):
what With Love Megan was. There are new claims that
the Princess Royal has been quietly exerting influence behind these
scenes to prevent any reconciliation with Harry and Megan. According
to the National Examiner, Princess Anne has been working discreetly
at Windsor Castle, aligning with Prince William and Queen Camilla
to block any potential return, and urging King Charles the
(05:53):
Third to bar the Duchess of Sussex from royal settings altogether.
And inside it told the public Ocasion, Ann doesn't tend
to interfere or get involved with public politics all that often,
so when she does speak up and offer her opinion,
it counts for a lot, and says it's madness that
childs would countenance any type of reconciliation or forgiveness. Let
alone allow this upstart anywhere near them. Another insider claimed
(06:17):
if Meghan does decide to come back to the UK
and finds herself in the same room with Anne or Camilla,
she'll get extremely short shrift, adding that it would be
just about the most fearsome combination imaginable, more ballace in
just a moment. Meghan Markle is said to be feeling
increasingly sidelined after Prince Harry took a boy's ski trip
(06:38):
to Aspen, a move that sources claim has deepened tensions
at home. According to an insider quoted by Style, Harry
returned from the trip in high spirits, telling Meghan that
the time away did him a world of good, that,
remarked the source says, did not land well with the
Duchess of Sussex. The insider added, Megan doesn't see the
need for a grown man to take the little time
he has off and spend it away from his family.
(07:00):
While Meghan is reportedly willing to accept occasional solo trips,
the problem, according to the source, is Harry now saying
he wants to do this far more often, pointing to
his friends as proof that is totally fine and normal.
From Meghan's perspective. However, the insider says there is nothing
fine or normal about it, adding that she worries Harry
maybe venting about their marriage to his friends, which she
finds deeply unsettling. Another insiders said Harry has tried to
(07:24):
reassure Meghan, explaining that he simply needs a little space
to breathe and insisting that trip is not a sign
of deeper problems. Meghan, however, is reportedly unconvinced. As the
source put it, she's not taking it lightly. She's in
full panic mode. And here's a fun theory. Harry has
been taking shots at President Trump in hopes that Harry
gets deported and has to move back to the UK.
(07:46):
Royal expert Hillary Fordage tells The Globe, if Harry's home
life is as unpleasant as we've seen, this may be
a deliberate attempt to get deported. It's entirely possible. If
you look at the both of them, they are individual trajectories.
What is she doing building her brand? She's building a
Netflix show, Love Megan. She's going back on social media.
He wants to have protection in the UK. They are
(08:07):
going in two completely different opposite directions. A palace saw
says he's secretly begging his father to take him back,
and then the question becomes, what's Meghan to do? She's spiraling.
An American airline pilot has launched a satirical lifestyle brand
aim squarely at Meghan Markle, using humor and pointed slogans
to poke fun at the Duchess of Sussex's post royal ventures.
(08:30):
Rachel Maxwell, a thirty six year old commercial pilot, runs
a website called Montecito Minimalist, which sells candles, mugs, sweaters,
tote bags and other items style to resemble the look
and tone of Megan's as ever brand. The difference lines
in the messaging. Maxwell's products carry slogans such as no titles,
just taste burnt bridges and backpedaling, privacy and paparazzi and
(08:52):
let them eat flowers sprinkles. One of her most popular
lines featured the phrase recollections may vary, a line used
by Queen Elizabeth Sis second response to claims made by
Prince Arian Meghan Markle doing their twenty twenty one interview
with Oprah Winfrey. A candle bearing that slogan is described
on the site as being for moments when the lighting
is soft, the camera is rolling, and the truth is flexible.
(09:16):
Speaking to The Daily Mail, Maxwell described her project as
a cheeky satirical brand based off a certain someone who
lives in Montecito, adding that it was never intended to
be cruel. It doesn't come from a place of cruelty,
she said. Instead, it's meant to be fun, lighthearted, letting
people be in on the joke. It's a little bit
of Catharsis. Maxwell said the idea began as a creative
outlet and modest attempt to earn extra income after noticing
(09:38):
the boom and celebrity backed lifestyle and brands. I'm not
a millionaire, I'm not married to anyone famous, she explained.
I bought a domain for eleven dollars and a shop
trial for a dollar a month. I thought I'd see
if it would work. While Maxwell insists her satire is
rooted in publicly available material and not personal attacks, she
acknowledged skepticism toward wealthy celebrities presenting themselves as victims. These
(10:01):
people have enormous power and influence and access to pr
people and were meant to sympathize with them, she said,
I asked, why is someone trying to get us to
feel sorry for them in a mansion? She said. She
was surprised by the international response, with customers ordering from
places such as Singapore and Dubai. I realized the collective
eye roll wasn't just by Americans and Brits. It was global,
she said. And there you have it. If you'd like
(10:23):
to email us addresses the Palasindriga at gmail dot com,
please follow us on Spotify, Apple, the Apple a Choice.
I'm Mark Francis my thanks to John McDermott. This is
palace intriguing. Good terms
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