Will new Netflix show With Love work for Duchess of Sussex rebrand?

It’s the picture of domestic bliss.

The Duchess of Sussex, picking flowers, slicing veggies and decorating cakes in a trailer for her new Netflix show.

There’s also a scene where she harvests honey, and hugs her husband, Prince Harry.

Meghan, it appears, has rebranded herself. Her new look is described by public relations expert Chloe Franses as similar to the “tradwife” social media trend, inspired by 1950s housewives.

In that sense, it is a departure for Meghan, who has been known as a feminist and a Hollywood actress.

But Franses says it’s actually a return to Meghan’s roots, as the duchess used to be a lifestyle blogger before she married Harry.

And as ever with Meghan, it’s proving divisive. Franses praises it as “authentic,” while Alex Silver, a media relations expert, calls it “tone deaf”.

So what’s the reason for her new TV show, With Love, and will it work?

One of the most striking things about the trailer is that it’s Meghan on her own, rather than with Harry.

Since stepping down as senior royals in 2020 and moving to California, the pair have pursued various ventures together, including starting a production company and charitable foundation.

But with this new show, it looks like the couple increasingly want to do their own thing professionally – and to create two separate income streams.

“They seem to have separated their brands,” says Pauline Maclaran, professor of marketing and consumer research at Royal Holloway.

“I think it’s likely to be much more successful, because I think the two of them together weren’t really getting any strong recognition.”

The relaunch also signifies a move away from royal life.

Since stepping back as senior royals, Harry and Meghan have continued to talk about the monarchy – including in their 2021 Oprah Winfrey interview and Harry’s book Spare.

But in this new TV show, Meghan “isn’t drawing on her royal connections” anymore, says Maclaran.

Instead, it focuses on lifestyle and wellness – areas she already explored before she met Harry through her lifestyle blog The Tig.

On The Tig, Meghan shared beauty, diet and fashion tips, recipes, travel advice, and words of wisdom about love and life.

The Tig was closed in 2017, but PR experts have said that returning to lifestyle could be a smart move.

“This is a well-trodden path for a woman…