Meghan Markle Defends Her Le Creuset Cookware Amid Online Backlash

Can Women — Especially Black Women — Just Enjoy Nice Things?

It’s 2025, and somehow, cookware has become a source of online controversy. Yes, you read that right. The latest target of social media scrutiny? Meghan Markle. Again.

This time, the Duchess of Sussex has found herself at the center of a heated debate — not for a royal tell-all or a political stance, but for daring to use high-end Le Creuset cookware in her new Netflix series, With Love, Meghan.

The colorful, coordinated pots and pans beloved by chefs and home cooks alike have triggered a wave of backlash online, sparking conversations about privilege, relatability, and, frankly, why women (especially Black women) are constantly being policed for simply owning nice things.

Keep reading to learn more!

Wait… People Are Mad About Her Cookware?

It all started when With Love, Meghan, a charming lifestyle series that premiered in March on Netflix, gave viewers a peek inside Meghan’s home life — complete with gardening tips, kitchen hacks, and warm conversations with guest stars like Mindy Kaling and Abigail Spencer.

The vibe? Cozy, curated, and very much Meghan.

But the internet, being the internet, latched onto something seemingly innocuous: her cookware. Specifically, her Le Creuset Dutch ovens and pans — beautifully color-coordinated and proudly displayed throughout her kitchen scenes.

Apparently, this was too much for some viewers, who took to social media accusing Meghan of being “out of touch” for showcasing cookware that costs several hundred dollars per piece.

Let’s pause here. Are we really policing people’s pots now?

Meghan Responds (and She’s Just as Confused as We Are)

In an interview with The New York Times on April 2, Meghan, 43, was informed about the unexpected backlash. Her reaction? Pure disbelief.

“This is a thing in 2025?” she asked, clearly baffled.

Her mother, Doria Ragland, sitting beside her, couldn’t help but chime in with a dose of reality: “Everything is coming in hot these days.”

No kidding.

It seems like no matter what Meghan does, from how she names her children to the kind of balloon arches she chooses for a birthday party, someone out there has something negative to say. Now, even her cookware is under fire.

The Internet Has Thoughts — and Not All of Them Are Negative

Thankfully, not everyone is clutching their pearls over Meghan’s Dutch ovens. Many people, especially Black women, have come to her defense, pointing out the double standards at play.

MSNBC editor Michele Norris summed it up perfectly in a post on Threads:

“Why is anyone surprised or disturbed that she would have beautiful color-coordinated cookware? Does anyone drag Ina or Martha for their cookware? Sure it would be nice to see a big heavy well-seasoned black skillet up in there. But did anyone expect that? So yes, Le Creuset is beautiful — but it is not merely performative cookware.”

Amen to that.

Elise Roberts, a media strategist, also added her voice to the conversation during a March appearance on Today:

“I thought to myself, ‘Well, wait, are we not supposed to have nice things?’ And by ‘we,’ I mean Black women. I went down this rabbit hole and saw the broader discussion and I was like, ‘Well, I have a collection,’ and my newest addition was this big, beautiful peach Dutch oven.”

She continued:

“We are not new to this. We have made the best out of very little when we had no choice but to do that, and now that we are thriving, we too deserve nice things.”

Let that sink in.

It’s Not About Cookware — It’s About Control

This isn’t just about cast iron and enamel. At its core, this debate is about something much deeper: who is allowed to live beautifully and share that lifestyle without being criticized.

Meghan’s every move is dissected through a lens that doesn’t seem to apply to her white counterparts. Ina Garten can share her Hamptons kitchen with $500 mixers and matching copper pots, and it’s “aspirational.” But Meghan Markle does it? Suddenly, it’s “tone-deaf.”

It’s exhausting and, frankly, unfair.

Meghan’s Not Backing Down — And Good for Her

Despite the backlash, Meghan isn’t sweating it. In the same NYT interview, she shared that criticism is something she’s learned to expect — even down to how she prepares banana pudding.

“I know some people will be upset that I took out the wafers,” she laughed. “But I like them crumbled on top.”

Honestly? That’s the kind of unbothered energy we all need in our lives.

For those wondering why she’s even doing this show in the first place, Meghan has a simple answer: She loves to work.

“I need to work, and I love to work,” she said, reflecting on how she’s been working since the age of 13 — long before she ever met Prince Harry. “This is a way to connect my home life and my work.”

As a mother to Prince Archie (5) and Princess Lilibet (3), Meghan is clearly trying to strike that balance so many parents strive for: doing meaningful work while being present at home. And With Love, Meghan is a reflection of that.

What’s Next?

Season 2 of With Love, Meghan has already been filmed and will premiere on Netflix in the fall of 2025.

Fans can expect more heartfelt moments, recipes, and yes — probably more Le Creuset. But now, we hope, with a little less judgment and a lot more appreciation.

Meghan also opened up about what it was like having cameras in her personal space during filming.

“It feels as though we’re just spending time together, which is what it ended up being,” she told People.

“I’d make a recipe and say, ‘Everyone try this,’ and there are certain dishes where you just watch everyone flock in. I’d say, ‘We’ve run out of spoons!’ It ended up feeling so communal, and that’s the spirit of the show.”

That’s what this series is really about — creating community, sharing joy, and inviting others into a space of warmth and authenticity. The cookware? That’s just part of the aesthetic.

Final Thoughts: Let People Enjoy Their Le Creuset

At the end of the day, Meghan’s cookware isn’t the problem — our collective obsession with tearing down successful women is.

If we truly believe in equity and empowerment, then that includes celebrating the joy, the beauty, and yes, even the fancy kitchenware that comes with success.

So here’s to Meghan — for working hard, living well, and unapologetically crumbling her wafers on top.

Conclusion

• Meghan Markle’s use of Le Creuset cookware in her Netflix show sparked online backlash for being “unrelatable.”
• She responded with surprise, asking, “This is a thing, in 2025?” during a New York Times interview.
• Critics were countered by supporters who pointed out racial and gendered double standards, especially toward Black women enjoying luxury.
• Meghan emphasized her love for work and her desire to connect family life with purpose-driven content through her show.
• The show’s vibe is communal, homey, and warm, which makes the cookware criticism feel even more misplaced.
• Season 2 of With Love, Meghan is set to premiere in Fall 2025 — and she’s not backing down.

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