The Duchess of Sussex has just blown out 44 candles with a calculated image: Californian calm, an intimate dinner, and a message of gratitude. No incendiary confessions or grandiose poses. Just a photo of a cake with flowers and the promise that her new stage in life will focus on her own projects and family. The postcard is perfect. The context, not so much.
Discreet moves to ease tensions with the Windsor family are still happening around her. There were contacts between teams in London, but without visible progress. The last time Harry and his father saw each other was in February 2024 and, for now, there is no meeting on the schedule that would change that family picture.
The painful fact at home: only 20% approval in the United Kingdom
The week of her birthday brought a cold shower: the latest YouGov poll puts Meghan at just 20% favorable opinions in the United Kingdom, her worst historical mark. That is, only one in five Britons has a positive view of her today. Harry stands at 28%. The contrast with William and Kate is overwhelming, above 70%. The study, published on August 8, confirms the couple's sustained slump in British public opinion.
This wear is not new, but it is persistent. Since 2020, every media launch has been accompanied by a drop in popularity within the United Kingdom, where the monarchy, despite its shadows, still keeps majority support. For Meghan, the fight for her reputation in her adopted country remains an uphill battle.
In the US, her show is not taking off either: 19% say they like it
Across the Atlantic, Meghan is betting everything on her role as a "lifestyle guru." However, the first data from her culinary series on Netflix show a lukewarm start: less than half of American adults say they know the show, and only 19% say they like it, compared to 11% who are not convinced. It is an uncomfortable sign for someone trying to consolidate her personal brand through content.
Even so, her image in the US holds up somewhat better than in the United Kingdom. Recent polls point to positive opinion balances, although with an erratic trend over the past two years. The American audience doesn't reject her outright, but they also do not automatically reward every project she launches.
What Meghan does say and what Netflix and Archewell do not say
While the polls are tightening, Meghan is trying to set the agenda with "As Ever," the evolution of her lifestyle brand. On her 44th birthday, she announced the new vintage of her Napa rosé, with a launch on August 5 and expectations of repeating a "sold out," after selling out previous products. A calculated move: strengthen the community and escape the palace noise.
The other side is television. Various publications in the United States claim that her multimillion-dollar contract with Netflix will not be renewed in September.
The platform, in a phase of adjustments, would have chosen to close that stage after several releases from the couple. Neither Netflix nor Archewell have offered a definitive confirmation, but the message coming from the industry is that, from now on, the agreements would be occasional.
Balance of a bittersweet week and what may come
Meghan has projected serenity in an uncomfortable week. The numbers are punishing her in the United Kingdom and her major audiovisual showcase is entering a zone of doubt, just when she most needs a success story. On her side, the "As Ever" machine and an American market that is still receptive. Against her, a structural wear in British opinion and the ongoing scrutiny of her every move.
Will she manage to turn the statistical stumble into momentum for her brand and her content, or are we witnessing the ceiling of her "lifestyle" stage? We will know soon.