Looking back on With Love, Meghan: 'Horrifying' and 'cruel' scene Meghan Markle probably wants to 'forget'

Even supporters reckon duchess looked 'so freaked out'
Robert Leigh

On this day, in 2025, Meghan’s lifestyle series on Netflix aired for the very first time. So, we are looking back on one memorable moment…for all the wrong reasons!

Outraged X users expressed their revulsion at Meghan Markle scenes in With Love, Meghan showing a lobster being prepared for meal.

In one episode of the second season of the Duchess of Sussex’s lifestyle series on Netflix, Meghan was joined in the kitchen by restauranteur José Andrés. He helps instruct Meghan Markle in how to pull together a seafood feast as a treat for the crew that films her show.

However, the reality of taking a knife to a spiny lobster proved too much for some observers to stomach – with one social media user insisting Meghan “should be ashamed of herself” over the “cruel” display at the time.

Meghan Markle grimaces alongside Jose Andres
Meghan Markle grimaces as José Andrés gets to work (Credit: Netflix)

With Love, Meghan guest chops up lobster

A 51 second clip of José hacking and chopping a lobster, shared on X and Instagram, had many respondents feeling queasy back in August.

Meghan didn’t appear to be entirely comfortable with the culinary process herself. “Called it ‘baby’,” she said incredulously to camera, repeating how José referred to the crustacean.

As he warned her about the lobster’s sharp spines, Meghan scratched at her forehead nervously. She also covered her face, cleared her throat, and tilted her head as if unable to bear the sound of the crunch of the lobster’s shell as it cracked, just out of shot.

However, Meghan also admitted eating lobster was ‘part of the circle of life’… and went on to reveal her husband Prince Harry isn’t a fan of lobster.

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But while many fans were entertained by Meghan’s animated facial expressions, others were not impressed by what they saw.

Meghan Markle looks glum
Viewers assumed a live lobster was being carved up in front of Meghan Markle (Credit: Netflix)

X users react to Meghan Markle lobster scene

“I skipped this part. Too cruel,” one X user reacted to the social media preview.

Too cruel.

“Animal cruelty! Meghan should be ashamed of herself for supporting such behaviour,” claimed another.

A third concurred, assuming the lobster to be alive when the scene was filmed: “It’s cruel to cut a lobster in half. And before anyone comes at me I know, my whole family fish lobster. That lobster felt A LOT of pain.”

 

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Similarly, someone else under the impression the lobster was not deceased at the time of production ranted sarcastically: “Great to see a live animal butchered in the name of entertainment. Good job.”

And another unsettled user posted nine vomiting emojis to make their point.

While someone else pondered: “I wonder where’s the outrage from @peta?”

And even among a swarm of haters, another person was compelled to post: “I love Meghan. And I love the show. But this? Too far, girl, waaaayyyyy too far. I really don’t get how this [got] past the final cut.”

Meghan Markle turns her head as lobster is chopped
Meghan Markle didn’t appear to be that much of a fan of lobster herself! (Credit: Netflix)

‘Feel so bad for her’

Not everyone was as concerned with the fate of the bit part player lobster, though. After all, Meghan remained the focus of the scene.

“This scene was hilarious, feel so bad for her,” one user chuckled, making use of two crying laughing emojis alongside their words.

“She looks so freaked out!” contributed another crying laughing emoji user.

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“Lol I’m with Meghan the sounds are… intense,” noted a third onlooker.

While another fan echoed that: “Lol she looked so stressed.”

Royal Insider contacted representatives at Netflix and for Meghan Markle for comment in August 2025.

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