The 's estranged father, Thomas Markle Sr, has stoked the fires of their already tense relationship by slamming her for being "inauthentic" in her new series. The 80 year old, who is said to have been out of contact with Meghan for years, criticised the 43 year old's appearance in telling a newspaper that she seemed "pre-planned and rehearsed".

The former TV lighting director expressed his belief that he can spot when his daughter is "faking it" on camera, commenting, "She's trying so hard to be perfect that she tenses up every time the camera is on her."

Despite the ongoing criticism, Meghan, who married in 2018, announced she had completed filming a second series of her lifestyle show and

There has been no significant communication between Meghan and her father since around the time of her wedding. In her explosive interview with Oprah Winfrey in 2021, Meghan shared that she felt she'd "lost my [her] father", and with Thomas' recent remarks, the chances of them making amends seem slim.

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Adding to the family drama, Meghan's half-brother, Thomas Markle Jr, also weighed in last week, criticising the eight-part Netflix series in interviews with American media. He questioned some of Meghan's childhood memories and dismissed the series, saying, "Halfway through, I realised there's something better I could be doing with my time," reports .

Stefan Walters, a psychologist with expertise in trauma and Brainspotting therapy, has suggested that the public reminders of Meghan's strained relationship with her father and half-brother could be challenging for her. Speaking to OK!, he drew parallels with divorced couples, saying: "It's similar to couples who divorce and wish they could just go their own way to forget each other forever," but added that familial ties, like those Meghan shares with her family, are enduring and complex.

"But if you share blood and DNA, as Meghan does with her family, there's always going to be a connection, they're always going to be entwined and entangled in a way. When there's an estrangement, whatever form that takes, it can be painful and hurtful to be reminded of that connection.

"The opposite of love isn't hate, it's indifference. So the fact these people still feel a need to talk about Meghan suggests there are still feelings there, maybe sadness, and anger and grief, and it's probably the same for Meghan too. It brings up that sense that they're still emotionally connected on some level."

He further explained that dealing with family estrangement is not a straightforward journey and that individuals often find themselves at different emotional stages. However, having these issues aired publicly can be particularly distressing.

"Meghan seems to be processing it in her own way, whether that might be through therapy, or talking to Harry, we don't know what she's doing. But bringing it into the public sphere isn't edifying and it doesn't serve anyone well."

In spite of the family backlash, Meghan revealed last week that Netflix had commissioned another series of With Love, Meghan, after the first made the streaming service’s Top 10 globally, in the US and in Britain.

This marks the second hit for Meghan and Prince Harry's Netflix ventures, with earlier releases such as 'Polo,' 'Heart Of Invictus,' and 'Live To Lead' not making the cut.

On her official , Meghan shared her excitement, writing: "If you're loving Season 1, just wait until you see the fun we cooked up on Season 2! Thanks for joining the party, and an endless thanks to the amazing team and crew who helped bring it all to life!".

However, Meghan’s one-time supporter Katherine Ryan seems to have had a change of heart. The comedian shared on her 'Telling Everybody Everything' podcast that, despite not thinking Meghan is a bad person, she believes the duchess revels in her celebrity ties, big-money deals, and Royal connections.

Suggesting she’d rather Meghan owned her change of circumstances, Katherine added: "I would rather someone lean into that and be like, 'Oh my God, I used to be on Suits and now I'm married to a prince!' I would rather that than this act of, 'Oh, I'm just so humble.'".

Meghan has had her share of positive feedback, particularly surrounding the filming of her show in Montecito, close to where she resides with Harry, Prince Archie, who is five, and three year old Princess Lilibet. Several crew members have defended her, with director Michael Steed speaking to People magazine about how "friendly" she was during production and that she "became really tight, fairly quickly" with the entire crew.

Another person on the team mentioned Meghan's thoughtful gestures, including arranging for ice-cream trucks, coffee carts, and even an açai truck for the staff on set. And as filming concluded, she showed her appreciation by gifting every crew member with a monogrammed spoon inscribed with "Thank You, Crew".

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