Meghan Markle's Half-Brother Rips Into The Duchess Over 'Malarkey Stories' In New Netflix Series

Yahoo

06-03-2025

Meghan Markle's Netflix series has been under heavy scrutiny since its release, and her elder half-brother, Thomas Markle Jr., is one of her most vocal critics.
In the series, the Duchess showcases her passion for cooking and talks about her humble childhood eating fast food and microwavable meals.
However, Thomas Markle Jr. has dismissed his half-sister's comments, claiming Meghan Markle is misrepresenting her past with "malarkey stories."
Meghan's half-brother recently criticized the stories she shared about her upbringing in her new Netflix series, "With Love, Meghan," which debuted on Tuesday.
The royal described herself in the show as a "latchkey kid" and recalled a humble childhood filled with fast food and TV dinners.
Reflecting on her younger years, Meghan said, "It feels like such a different time, but that was so normal with the microwavable kids meals."
She shared that her go-to meals came from Pollo Loco, Taco Bell, and Jack In The Box, similar to past comments she made in 2021 about frequenting the $4.99 salad bar at Sizzler.
However, in an interview with TalkTV, Thomas Jr. dismissed his half-sister's claims about her upbringing, accusing her of trying too hard to appear relatable.
"That's just another one of the malarkey stories she sold to the royal family for sympathy," he said, per the New York Post. "We weren't poor. She didn't have to rub two nickels together at Sizzler's salad bar."
The Duchess's half-brother also criticized her treatment of their father, saying, "The entire world knows how she treated her family, especially her father, who gave her everything. That's why nobody's buying it."
Thomas Jr., who hasn't spoken to Meghan in over a decade, admitted he attempted to watch her Netflix show but quickly lost interest.
"I realized there's something better I could be doing with my time," he said. "Everybody's going to watch the first episode, and it'll be the worst critically acclaimed episode of all time."
"Then, five or six minutes into the second, they'll probably commit themselves to a psychiatric ward," he added.
Thomas Jr. admitted that watching Meghan's Netflix series left him feeling "sorry and embarrassed for her" for the first time.
However, he has no plans to let their father, Thomas Markle Sr., tune in, citing concerns for his health.
"I didn't have enough heart medication for him to watch it," he said. "I didn't want him to kick the bucket, so I'd have to go refill the prescription before I let him watch it."
Thomas Jr. also called out Meghan's claim that she expresses care by feeding those close to her, saying the Duchess "didn't cook anything for anybody ever growing up."
"There was always that little look," he recalled. "The Meghan Markle death stare, like her viper jaw pitches up, and she's about to strike."
Hollywood star Mindy Kaling appeared in the second episode of Meghan's Netflix show and joined her to prepare cucumber sandwiches for a children's party while chatting about childhood memories.
When Meghan described herself as a "latchkey kid" who frequently enjoyed fast food and TV dinners, Kaling expressed surprise, saying, "I don't think anyone in the world knows that Meghan Markle has eaten Jack in the Box and loves it."
Meghan, with a smile, then corrected the actress: "It's so funny you keep saying Meghan Markle; you know I'm Sussex now."
The U.S.-based royal explained how significant it is for her to be able to share the Sussex surname with her children.
She noted, "You have kids, and you go, 'No, I share my name with my children. I didn't know how meaningful that would be to me, but it just means so much to go; this is our family name, our little family name."
In response, Kaling said, "Well, now I know, and I love it."
Industry experts claim that the success of the eight-episode show will be a major defining factor for Meghan as it determines if she still has the "Markle sparkle" needed to be a powerful celebrity with influence.
"You're only cold until you're hot again, and Hollywood is a town based on temperature, not talent," Doug Eldridge, a branding expert and the founder of Achilles PR, told Fox News. "If the show is a success, this could be the moment of truth."
"If the show is a modest success, Meghan will return to relevancy in Tinseltown and the influencer opportunities will multiply," he explained.
Eldridge, however, noted the difficulty of Meghan's new venture and the best way for the Duchess of Sussex to maintain relevancy.
He said, "The problem with the influencer or reality television category is that it's often more fashion than style. Fashion changes with the season or trend. Style is enduring, personal, and doesn't fall victim to seasonal whims."