Meghan Markle’s critically-panned With Love Netflix series has been defended by Andrew Cuomo’s ex Sandra Lee. 

The Food Network star, 58 – who previously dated former New York governor Andrew Cuomo – shared her positive thoughts on Markle’s show which has been renewed for a second season with the streaming site. 

‘I was actually surprised about the backlash to the show. It didn’t seem fair,’ the Semi-Homemade Cooking star told Us Weekly on Wednesday during the New York Women in Film and Television 2025 MUSE Awards. 

With Love, Meghan released its eight episodes earlier this month – with some critics slamming the show as both ‘pointless’ and ‘awful.’   

Lee further explained to the outlet, ‘[I’ve been] in the lifestyle space for years. We have mixed relatable and unrepeatable elements [too].

‘Meghan’s show is very well done [and] beautifully filmed. [It has] calming, serene content – and she even used my trick of using a plastic bag as a piping bag for her cake!’

Meghan Markle’s, 43, critically-panned With Love Netflix series has been defended by Andrew Cuomo’s ex Sandra Lee, 58

‘Meghan’s show is very well done [and] beautifully filmed. [It has] calming, serene content – and she even used my trick of using a plastic bag as a piping bag for her cake!’ Lee added; seen earlier this week in NYC 

Sandra added, ‘I’m happy for her,’ while also giving a shout out to her crew who is ‘doing a great job.’ 

The TV personality wished Markle ‘good luck’ with her future on the Netflix series and then encouraged, ‘Keep on going, and inspire people to make beautiful things.’

With Love, Meghan showed the star – who is married to Prince Harry – being joined by celebrity pals such as Mindy Kaling as she filmed the episodes at a rented $8 million farmhouse in Montecito. 

She also notably opted for classical makeup and stylish ensembles as she gave her own advice when it came to cooking, gardening and also hosting parties. 

However, other critics previously slammed the show and Meghan for being out of touch as well as ‘tone deaf.’

Markle later responded to the criticism and told People, ‘Once you know us, I think you want us to have the same normalcy as parents and for our children as they do, despite however unique our situation is.

‘I have a couple of girlfriends up here – these are stay-at-home moms and working women with normal jobs, not in the public eye.’

Meghan added, ‘We went from just connecting through our kids to having girls’ nights out or doing Pilates together.’ 

The TV personality wished Markle ‘good luck’ with her future on the Netflix series and then encouraged, ‘Keep on going, and inspire people to make beautiful things’

Lee is pictured with ex Cuomo in 2018 in New York City 

Markle later responded to the criticism and told People , ‘Once you know us, I think you want us to have the same normalcy as parents and for our children as they do, despite however unique our situation is’

The Suits alum – who has also launched her As Ever brand – also told the outlet, ‘I appreciate everyone who gave me the grace to make mistakes and figure it out and also to be forgiving with myself through that. It’s a learning curve.’ 

Sandra Lee’s recent defense of Markle comes shortly after the Duchess of SusSєx addressed her ‘breakfast war’ with Hollywood actress Gwyneth Paltrow this week. 

Read More Meghan fires back in ‘breakfast war’ with Gwyneth Paltrow as she unveils ‘re-invented banana split’

The Oscar winner addressed the speculation of a feud between them during an Instagram Q&A after one of her 8.7million followers asked if she was ‘comprehending the Meghan Markle beef that social media says you two have?’ 

Paltrow, filming in the kitchen of her sprawling home in the Montecito, replied: ‘I genuinely do not understand this at all, whatsoever.’ She then turned her head to ask someone off screen: ‘Do you understand this?’ 

She quickly panned her iPhone camera to her right to reveal Montecito neighbor Meghan sitting beside her at the counter, who playfully shrugged her shoulders, giggled and leaned back in her chair while eating a piece of pie.

The joint appearance comes amid comparisons between the Duchess of SusSєx’s new Netflix show With Love, Meghan and lifestyle brand As Ever and Paltrow’s Goop empire – sparking rumours of a potential feud.

Paltrow had posted a video of herself preparing breakfast which were similar to scenes from the Netflix series. She used the song used in adverts for Meghan’s series, This Will Be (An Everlasting Love) by Natalie Cole.

The actress turned wellness guru, who founded her wellness company in 2008, has defended the duchess setting up a lifestyle brand, saying ‘everybody deserves an attempt at everything that they want to try.’ 

Sandra Lee’s recent defense of Markle comes shortly after the Duchess of SusSєx addressed her ‘breakfast war’ with Hollywood actress Gwyneth Paltrow this week

Paltrow, filming in the kitchen of her sprawling home in the Montecito, replied: ‘I genuinely do not understand this at all, whatsoever.’ She then turned her head to ask someone off screen: ‘Do you understand this?’

Meghan has recently launched the lifestyle brand As Ever in tandem with her TV show which was met with savage reviews from critics but still did well for Netflix, reaching the streaming giant’s top 10 programs globally.

A trailer for her new Lemonada Media podcast Confessions Of A Female Founder was released yesterday, with Meghan promising ‘girl talk’ and advice on how to create ‘billion-dollar businesses.’ It launches next Tuesday.

Throughout Meghan’s series, she looked flawless in luxury designer gear and hired out a kitchen which was not her own. 

Paltrow, on the other hand, went makeup-free while sporting casual striped pajamas for her video, and used a soundtrack of This Will Be (An Everlasting Love) by Natalie Cole – which has also been used in promos for Markle’s Netflix project.

Fans jumped to X to share their thoughts, with one penning: ‘Gwyneth Paltrow continues to throw shade & I’m here for it! No makeup in her actual kitchen!’

A fan also wrote, ‘Even the music… that’s Natalie Cole ‘this will be (an EVER lasting love)’!!!!!’

Another shared on social media, ‘Lol isn’t it this the song they keep using in the Meghan Markle promo?’

A fan added, ‘Go Gwyneth. And she has a real dog in her own real kitchen on her own real property.’ 

‘And being as relatable as she can be, in her pj’s, hair not styled, no make up sipping coffee. No one praising her. Just her phone filming. Simple and easy,’ one typed out.

Paltrow, on the other hand, went makeup-free while sporting casual striped pajamas for her video, and used a soundtrack of This Will Be (An Everlasting Love) by Natalie Cole – which has also been used in promos for Markle’s Netflix project

Fans jumped to X to share their thoughts, with one penning: ‘Gwyneth Paltrow continues to throw shade & I’m here for it! No makeup in her actual kitchen!’

A fan also wrote, ‘Even the music… that’s Natalie Cole ‘this will be (an EVER lasting love)’!!!!!’

Another shared on social media, ‘Lol isn’t it this the song they keep using in the Meghan Markle promo?’

‘And being as relatable as she can be, in her pj’s, hair not styled, no make up sipping coffee. No one praising her. Just her phone filming. Simple and easy,’ one typed out

‘Pinstripe jammies? Check. Dog? Check. Eggs? Check. Monogrammed mug? Check. Lemons? Check? Her kitchen? Check. Jar of preserves? Check. High kick? Check,’ one typed.

Markle’s late dog Guy was featured on With Love, Meghan and in her Instagram video, Paltrow was seen petting her own pup as well.

The social media user also seemingly referenced to Gwyneth cooking eggs – which Meghan did in her show. The wife of Prince Harry cooked scrambled eggs but with a twist and used sparkling water.

When putting together meals, a bowl of limes and lemons was sometimes placed on the spacious island where Markle prepared dishes. And in the actress’s short reel, lemons could be seen on the table.

In regards to the jar of preserves, Meghan showed off her homemade jam and preserves – and in the Instagram reel, Gwyneth also seemed to indulge in either jam or chutney.

At the beginning of the video, the Iron Man actress strolled towards the camera while sipping from a monogrammed mug – with others speculating that she was referencing to how Markle also has a monogram due to being the Duchess of SusSєx.

‘Notice the lettering on the cup?!!’ one penned, while another also shared, ‘The monogram mug!!’

While some suspected that Paltrow was shading Meghan, others had a different opinion.

The social media user also seemingly referenced to Gwyneth cooking eggs – which Meghan did in her show. The wife of Prince Harry cooked scrambled eggs but with a twist and used sparkling water

‘I mean, I’ve met Meghan, who seems really lovely, but I don’t know her at all,’ she continued. ‘Maybe I’ll try to get through their security detail and bring them a pie’

One wrote, ‘Eh, she’s been doing these kinds of videos forever,’ and another commented, ‘shade at….? i’m not getting it.’

‘I don’t think she is throwing shade. I just think she is showing off. That’s what she does and she would not make fun of anyone because of everything that’s been thrown her way,’ one X user shared.

And earlier this month, Paltrow and fitness guru Tracy Anderson were accused of mocking Meghan during an ad for the actress’s Goop brand. 

During a recent interview with Vanity Fair, Gwyneth briefly discussed Markle and stated, ‘I don’t know Meghan and Harry. 

‘I mean, I’ve met Meghan, who seems really lovely, but I don’t know her at all,’ she continued. ‘Maybe I’ll try to get through their security detail and bring them a pie.’

‘I was raised to see other women as friends, not foes,’ Paltrow said. ‘I think there’s always more than enough to go around. Everybody deserves an attempt at everything that they want to try’; seen in 2024 in L.A. 

The actress admitted that she hadn’t seen the duchess’ new show, but said she is not feeling any compeтιтion between the two.

She told Vanity Fair, ‘When there’s noise about certain women in the culture, I do have, always, a strong instinct to stand up for them.’

The mom-of-two added that she embraces bringing Markle, and others, into the wellness and lifestyle space.

‘I was raised to see other women as friends, not foes,’ Paltrow said. ‘I think there’s always more than enough to go around. Everybody deserves an attempt at everything that they want to try.’