Meghan Markle's Guest List for 'With Love' Season 2: A Cyberbully, a 'Fake Monk' Turned Celebrity Guru and More

Meghan Markle is gearing up for the 26 August return of her Netflix lifestyle series With Love, Meghan, but the new season's guest line-up is already sparking mixed reactions. Critics have described the roster as 'underwhelming', claiming it falls short of the star power expected — with some high-profile names coming with controversy attached.

According to the Daily Mail, the Duchess of Sussex was unable to secure marquee figures such as Oprah Winfrey, Michelle Obama, or a Kardashian. Instead, season two will feature a mix of chefs, personal acquaintances and celebrities linked to her talent agency WME. Many of the guests also have ongoing partnerships with Netflix, leading industry insiders to suggest the streamer stepped in to bolster the line-up.

From Star Chef to Pilates Instructor

Returning to the show is Markle's long-time friend and make-up artist Daniel Martin, as well as her pilates instructor Heather Dorak. Michelin-starred chef Clare Smyth, who curated the menu for Harry and Meghan's 2018 royal wedding reception, also makes an appearance. Other culinary guests include Samin Nosrat, Christina Tosi, David Chang and chef José Andrés.

British TV personality Tan France, known for Queer Eye, is one of the few widely recognised names in the line-up. France has been an outspoken supporter of the Sussexes, previously criticising the way they were treated in the UK.

The Cyberbully Controversy

One of the most eyebrow-raising additions is model and TV host Chrissy Teigen, who has faced past accusations of online harassment. In 2021, Teigen issued a public apology after multiple public figures — including Courtney Stodden and designer Michael Costello — accused her of sending abusive private messages and posting derogatory comments on social media. Stodden alleged that Teigen told them to 'kill yourself' in direct messages when they were still a teenager.

Teigen's inclusion is drawing criticism given the Sussexes' vocal campaigning for online safety and anti-bullying initiatives. While Teigen has since expressed remorse and pledged to change, her appearance risks undermining that message.

The 'Fake Monk' Label

Another notable guest is Jay Shetty, a motivational speaker and podcaster often billed as a 'former monk'. While Shetty has spoken about spending time in India with the Hare Krishna movement, critics — including former members — have questioned the accuracy of his 'monk' credentials. Reports have suggested his time in monastic life was brief and informal, and some have accused him of embellishing his spiritual background to build his brand. Shetty has not publicly addressed the 'fake monk' criticism in detail, but it has followed him throughout his rise as a celebrity self-help figure.

Shetty will appear alongside his wife, Radhi Devlukia, in the series.

Audience Reaction and Ratings Pressure

The trailer for season two, which shows Meghan preparing food, chatting with friends and revealing her husband Prince Harry's dislike of lobster, has been met with a lukewarm reception online. Posted on YouTube, it has racked up over 380,000 views but received 32,000 dislikes compared to just 2,900 likes.

Season one of With Love, Meghan failed to break into Netflix's top 300 programmes for the first half of 2025 and holds a 3.2/10 rating on IMDb, along with a 38% 'rotten' score on Rotten Tomatoes. Reviewers criticised it as 'tone-deaf' and 'vacuous', while one viewer even threatened legal action over a homemade bath salts recipe that allegedly caused skin burns.

A 'Downgraded' Deal with Netflix

The launch of season two coincides with the couple signing a 'first look' deal for new projects with Netflix, reportedly worth significantly less than their original £79 million ($100 million) five-year contract signed in 2020. PR expert Mark Borkowski described the arrangement as a 'downgrade' and suggested it allows Netflix to pick and choose which of the Sussexes' projects to fund.

Whether the new series can reverse its predecessor's poor reception remains to be seen, but with a guest list that includes a controversial model, a questioned spiritual figure, and a number of personal friends, With Love, Meghan appears to be taking a very different approach to celebrity booking.