Tina Brown doesn’t pull punches. If you’ve followed her career from the glory days of Vanity Fair to her definitive royal biography The Palace Papers, you know she’s basically the ultimate insider with a sharp, sometimes jagged, British wit. Lately, she hasn’t been holding back. When we talk about Tina Brown on Meghan Markle, we aren’t just talking about a few catty comments. We are looking at a full-scale forensic takedown of a brand that Brown believes is "flawless about getting it all wrong."
It’s brutal. Honestly, it’s some of the most searing criticism the Duchess has faced from a serious journalist. Brown’s central thesis? Meghan’s judgment is, in her words, the "worst in the world."
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The judgment problem
Brown went on The Ankler podcast and basically set the internet on fire. She didn't just say she disagreed with Meghan; she said her ideas are "total crap." That’s a direct quote. Brown argues that Meghan has this incredible ability to make one terrible professional decision after another.
Think about it.
The Spotify deal collapsed. The Netflix projects have been a mixed bag of massive documentary hits followed by long stretches of... nothing. Then there's American Riviera Orchard. We saw the jam. We saw the lifestyle teasers. But where is the actual product? Brown suggests this is a pattern. Meghan gets all these high-level advisors—people from WME, top-tier PR gurus—and then she simply doesn't listen to them. She thinks she knows better.
"The reason they all leave is she does not listen," Brown noted. It’s a classic Hollywood pitfall. When you’re at that level of fame, you’re surrounded by "yes people" or you fire the "no people." Brown thinks Meghan is doing the latter, leading her into a cul-de-sac of her own making.
The "Lamb to the Slaughter"
One of the most controversial things Brown has said involves Prince Harry. She famously described him as a "lamb to the slaughter" in this whole California experiment. It’s a heavy phrase, especially because it’s the exact same one Princess Diana used to describe her own wedding to King Charles.
Brown's take is that Harry was "terribly impressed" by Meghan. He saw her as this savvy, self-made Hollywood power player who could lead them to global superstardom. He was unhappy in the Palace, sure. He was "combustible" and "fragile." But Brown argues he followed her blindly, like a child, believing she had the roadmap to a new kind of royalty.
The tragedy, according to Brown, is that Harry was actually great at being a Prince. He had the touch. He was charming, upbeat, and authentic in that specific royal way. By trying to turn him into a global content creator, Brown thinks Meghan has stripped away his best assets.
Why this matters in 2026
We are seeing the fallout of these choices right now. The Sussexes have bought property in Portugal, which feels like a tentative step back toward Europe. Is it a retreat? Brown seems to think so. She’s pointed out that the couple are becoming "pariahs" in certain high-society circles because they’ve burned so many bridges.
- The Hollywood Factor: They aren't the A-list power couple they set out to be.
- The Family Rift: The distance between Harry and William feels more like a canyon than a crack.
- The Financial Pressure: Living that Montecito life costs a fortune. Without the steady stream of "royal secrets" to sell, what’s the product?
Brown’s commentary hits hard because she actually liked Harry. She knew Diana. She understands the "firm" better than almost anyone. When she says Meghan "run out of road," people in London and New York listen.
The African Child controversy
Just recently, in late 2025, Brown stirred the pot again. She claimed on Katie Couric’s podcast that Harry had referred to his son Archie as his "Africa child" in a conversation with the late Jane Goodall. The Sussexes' camp shot back immediately, calling it a total invention.
It’s messy. It’s exactly the kind of "addiction to drama" Brown has accused the couple of having. Whether you believe Brown or the Sussexes, the fact remains that Tina Brown on Meghan Markle has become its own sub-genre of royal commentary. It’s no longer about whether Meghan is "good" or "bad" for the monarchy—it’s about whether she’s her own worst enemy when it comes to business.
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What happens next?
If you’re looking for a takeaway, it’s this: the "American Riviera Orchard" era is the make-or-break moment. If the brand launches and fails, Brown’s "worst judgment" labels will stick forever.
Next steps for following this story:
- Watch the Netflix timeline: If Meghan’s cooking and lifestyle show doesn’t drop with a major impact by mid-year, the "content failure" narrative will tighten.
- Monitor the Portugal move: See if this house purchase leads to more solo European appearances for Harry, which Brown suggests might be his only path to a "reset."
- Check the Substack: Tina Brown is now writing on her own Substack, "Fresh Hell." If you want the unfiltered version of her royal rants, that’s where they live now.
The Sussexes are at a crossroads. They can either double down on the "Meghan knows best" strategy or they can start listening to the experts they’ve hired. If Brown is right, the clock is ticking.