Meghan Markle Slammed For Lying About Her Childhood On New Show And There Are Old Clips To Prove It

Meghan Markle's new Netflix show, 'With Love, Meghan', may not have attracted viewership but has attracted a series of controversies. In the latest attack, the Duchess of Sussex faces criticism for what many believe are discrepancies in her portrayal of her childhood.

In the show, Meghan shares her personal stories through her love for food. As viewers tune in to hear those intimate moments about her life, several details about her childhood raise eyebrows, with some suggesting that the Duchess may have misrepresented key aspects of her early life.

The 'Latchkey Kid' Claim Under Scrutiny

During an episode, Meghan is accompanied by actress and writer Mindy Kaling. In one of their conversations, Meghan shares a deeply personal story from her childhood. She describes herself as a 'latchkey kid' – a child who spent time alone after school because her parents were working. As per Meghan, this meant she relied on fast food and TV dinners to feed herself.

'I grew up with a lot of fast food and also a lot of TV tray dinners. It feels like such a different time, but that was so normal with the microwaveable kids' meals,' Meghan told Mindy. 'I grew up with that, watching Jeopardy! and having a lot of fast food.' However, this image of an 'on-her-own' and fast food-filled childhood has been contradicted by none other than Meghan's estranged father, Thomas Markle Sr.

Thomas, 80, told the Daily Mail that Meghan's portrayal of her childhood doesn't align with his memories. In contrast to Meghan's portrayal, he argues that he regularly picked Meghan up from school or had a car sent for her if he was too busy, a detail that seems to contradict her 'latchkey' narrative.

'We occasionally ate TV dinners, which family doesn't? But I was working two jobs, so money was never an issue. We would eat out at least three times a week and order in the rest of the time,' Thomas recalled, adding that he used to take Meghan for dinner at luxury restaurants.

Thomas also alleged that her daughter Meghan is not an authentic person. 'You have to be authentic to hold people's attention. Unfortunately, Meghan has never been authentic. She has to think about everything. She's not spontaneous. Everything she says is pre-planned and rehearsed.' Meghan is yet to respond to Thomas' claims.

Contrasting Stories Spark Confusion

Interestingly, this isn't the first time Meghan's childhood memories have raised questions. Back in 2016, she used to work as a judge on the US children's cooking show Chopped Junior. When she once fondly spoke about her upbringing but with a very different focus. While praising 'farm-to-farm' meals, she said that the food she ate growing up in California was fresh and simple.

'That dish reminded me of the kind of food I grew up eating in California, like that real... farm to table, sort of fresh, really simple ingredients,' Meghan told a young contestant during an episode. This starkly contrasts the image she now presents on Netflix, where she claims to have lived off TV dinners and fast food.

Meghan also shared that while growing up, she loved gardening. She reveals that she learned about composting and often planted her food. 'They had, in our science class, a lot of time in the garden. So I was probably about 10 or 11 - we learnt composting. I loved, as a kid, I planted this thing and would sit there patiently waiting, and then suddenly you go, 'it's grown, and I can eat this,' and it makes you so grateful for food,' she shared.

This account seems to suggest that Meghan had a childhood filled with nature and organic food, contradicting her 'latchkey kid' image.

Critics Call Out Meghan's 'Manicured' Image

Comedian and former supporter of the Duchess of Sussex, Katherine Ryan, has publicly criticised her for what she describes as a 'manicured' image. While speaking on her podcast Telling Everybody Everything, Ryan highlighted the contradictions between Meghan's statement on her Netflix show. 'She said on her new Netflix show that they ate TV dinners growing up, but then in an old interview, she was like, 'we would eat farm fresh.' Her whole act just seems very manicured and very forced,' Ryan said.

Ryan also questioned Meghan's authenticity by saying, 'I would rather someone lean into that and be like, oh my God, I used to be on Suits, and now I'm married to a prince! I would rather that than this act of: Oh, I'm just so humble,' Ryan added.

Meghan's Show Struggles to Find Success

Despite high expectations, the reception of With Love, Meghan has been disappointing and many have attributed this setback to the public's growing frustration with Meghan's portrayal of her life.

Former Vanity Fair editor Tina Brown said that Duchess' new show is about portraying 'fake perfection. 'With her unerring instinct for getting it wrong, Meghan has come out with a show about fake perfection just when the zeitgeist has turned raucously against it,' Brown said in her newsletter.