Overview
- Martha Stewart told People she and Meghan Markle were both guests at a recent California dinner and that Markle had been “talking about” her return from the U.K., though Stewart said their direct exchange was only a few words.
- The host of the dinner and a source close to Markle later disputed Stewart’s account, saying Meghan only briefly noted that the family had a good time and suggesting Stewart may have been mistaken about what she heard.
- The disagreement unfolded publicly in the days after Stewart’s People interview and has focused attention on whether private details of the Sussexes’ July visit with King Charles at Highgrove should have been recounted.
- The spat comes against a backdrop of business setbacks for Markle’s lifestyle efforts after Netflix ended its As Ever partnership in March and With Love, Meghan moved from regular seasons to occasional specials.
- Beyond who said what at the dinner, the episode highlights larger questions about authenticity in celebrity lifestyle media and could influence industry and public perception of Markle’s brand going forward.