Meghan's Star Power Dilemma: Why A-Listers Are Avoiding 'With Love, Meghan'

The Duchess of Drama: Meghan Markle's Netflix Series Hits Rock Bottom

In a shocking turn of events, the latest season of Meghan Markle's Netflix lifestyle series, "With Love, Meghan," is set to launch next week, and it's clear that the former actress has lost her sparkle. The second season promises to be just as underwhelming as the first, with a laundry list of B-list celebrities and friends who seem more like acquaintances than A-listers.

The guest lineup is nothing short of embarrassing, with TV personality Chrissy Teigen being the only major celebrity catch. But let's be real, even that's a stretch. It seems Meghan's Rolodex has shrunk dramatically since her high-profile wedding to Prince Harry in 2018. Back then, the likes of George and Amal Clooney, the cast of Suits, and Oprah Winfrey were all clamoring to attend the royal nuptials.

But fast-forward to today, and it appears those friendships have fizzled out. Royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams spoke exclusively with TheScholarlyNote.com about the dramatic decline of Meghan's social standing. "The ambition is clearly there," he said, "but since the Royal Family is the world's most high-profile institution, up there with the American presidency, this was an important occasion and it was undoubtedly an event to be seen at."

Fitzwilliams pointed out that even some of the most well-known guests, like Idris Elba and James Corden, have been scarce in Meghan's life since the wedding. "It would appear many A-listers have lost interest in the Sussexes in recent years," he said, "which poses its own problems for Meghan's media career."

The lack of pulling power is a major concern for Netflix, which has signed a new multi-year deal with the couple that's reportedly worth less than their previous $100million contract. PR expert Mark Borkowski believes the new arrangement is a clear downgrade from the original five-year deal. "I think Netflix has done a very neat job of pivoting away from two very expensive people who didn't deliver, and they've taken that deal off the table, and they've given them a modest one," he said.

But what's even more concerning for Meghan is her failed attempts to recruit A-listers for her show. Writing in her bestselling book "The Palace Papers," journalist Tina Brown explained that the celebrity guests on Meghan's series were "a portrait not of Meghan's intimate circle but of the friends she most wanted to recruit." Unfortunately, those recruitment efforts have been met with crickets.

In the first season, Meghan could only muster up a cast of has-beens and never-weres, including Suits co-star Abigail Spencer and socialite Delfina Figueras. The second season promises more of the same, with fashion designer Tan France being one of the few notable additions. But let's be real, even he's not exactly an A-lister.

The first season was widely panned by critics, who called it "sensationally absurd and trite." Meghan was even lampooned for putting pretzels from a packet into a plastic bag and chiding one guest for using Markle as her surname instead of Sussex. It's clear that the Duchess of Sussex has lost her touch when it comes to producing high-quality content.

As TheScholarlyNote.com exclusively reported, Meghan's Netflix deal is a far cry from the five-year contract she signed with the streaming giant in 2020. The new arrangement means Netflix will be picking and choosing which projects they want to invest in, rather than handing over a hefty sum upfront.

With Harry out of Sentebale and the couple's Spotify deal on shaky ground, there are serious questions about what they actually earn from Netflix. And if their new output is anything like the first season, it's clear that the couple's best days with the streaming giant may be behind them.

In a last-ditch effort to salvage her reputation, Meghan will star in a Christmas special in December, but it's anyone's guess whether it will be enough to save her flagging career. As Fitzwilliams so aptly put it, "If you are clearly struggling, as Meghan is, to attract A-listers and you appear to have nothing further to offer save notoriety and, perhaps, Prince Harry in the background, you certainly won't thrive and will be extremely lucky to survive in Hollywood."