Meghan Markle has revealed she is friends with “stay-at-home mums” and “working women with normal jobs” after critics branded her Netflix show “out of touch” and “tone deaf”.
The Duchess of Sussex, who lives in a £11million Montecito mansion, insists she and Prince Harry are trying to live like other families with school-aged children.
Meghan, 43, claimed: “Once you know us, I think you want us to have the same normalcy as parents and for our children as they do, despite however unique our situation is.”
Her comments come after her Netflix show “With Love, Meghan” was widely panned by critics, including several Netflix comedians who have publicly criticised the programme.
Meghan Markle insists she has ‘normal’ friends after Netflix backlash
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The former Suits star maintains that despite her royal connections, she has integrated into normal community life in California.
“I have a couple of girlfriends up here – these are stay-at-home moms and working women with normal jobs, not in the public eye,” the Duchess told People about her California lifestyle.
“We went from just connecting through our kids to having girls’ nights out or doing Pilates together.”
Meghan revealed she attends yoga and fitness classes with 40 to 50 others, sometimes alone or with friends.
Thomas Markle took particular issue with Meghan correcting her friend Mindy Kaling for calling her ‘Meghan Markle’NetflixShe described greeting strangers with fist bumps during classes, saying: “I mean, that’s part of how you connect. I love it. It’s the best.”
The Duchess also claimed she texts other parents to organise playdates for Archie and Lilibet.
One mother from the school run told the outlet that Meghan recently attended a child’s birthday party where she was “chilling” with parents and discussed “mom stuff and life”.
Meghan said she feels part of the community in Montecito, where locals have embraced her family.
Meghan partied with Kelly Rowland at Beyonce’s concert
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“I go to group classes that sometimes have 40 to 50 people in them and just walk in like, ‘Hi!'” Meghan said.
She acknowledged initial discomfort but described how she’s adapted to normal interactions.
“The other day in class, I was there by myself… and in the middle of the class they said, ‘Tell the person on your mat next to you that they’re doing a great job’,” she recalled.
Meghan Markle posing with her friend Kelly McKee Zajfen in 2024Getty
One friend told the publication they became close to Meghan through their children’s school.
When the friend’s son had surgery, Meghan sent balloons and a stuffed octopus with a note: “We thought you could use a hug with eight arms”.
“You can see that, as a unit, they’re all very connected,” the friend told the outlet.