Martha Stewart has never been one to pull her punches when it comes to protecting her turf.
The lifestyle empire queen just drew a line in the sand that nobody saw coming.
And Martha Stewart started a fight with Meghan Markle that had all hell breaking loose.
Stewart questions if Markle "knows what she’s talking about"
The 83-year-old lifestyle legend made it crystal clear where she stands on Meghan Markle’s attempt to muscle in on her territory.
When Yahoo Lifestyle asked Stewart about Markle’s lifestyle brand American Riviera Orchard, which peddles raspberry spreads, teas, and wildflower honey, Stewart delivered a masterclass in diplomatic destruction.
"Meghan I don’t really know very well, and I hope she knows what she’s talking about," Stewart said with the kind of smile that doesn’t reach the eyes.¹
That wasn’t a compliment – that was Stewart’s polite way of saying she has serious doubts about Markle’s qualifications to play in the lifestyle space.
Stewart then twisted the knife deeper by emphasizing what really matters in this business.
"Authenticity, to me, is everything, and to be authentic and knowledgeable about your subject matter is extremely important," Stewart explained.²
Translation: You can’t just slap your name on some jam jars and call yourself a lifestyle expert.
Stewart built her brand over decades through genuine expertise, hands-on knowledge, and an obsessive attention to detail that made her America’s most trusted authority on entertaining, cooking, and home design.
Markle’s approach? Launch a Netflix show that got panned by critics and hope people buy overpriced honey because it has her name on it.
Stewart praises Paltrow while snubbing Markle
The contrast in Stewart’s treatment of different lifestyle competitors was telling.
When discussing Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop empire, Stewart couldn’t have been more effusive in her praise.
"Gwyneth has been very successful; she created quite an interesting body of businesses," Stewart gushed. "She won an Oscar, for heaven’s sake, as an actress! She’s pretty powerful."³
Notice the difference? Stewart highlighted Paltrow’s track record – Oscar winner, built multiple successful companies, genuine influence in Hollywood.
When talking about Markle? Stewart questioned whether she even understands the business she’s trying to enter.
Here’s what Stewart was really saying: Paltrow put in the work and earned her spot. Markle thinks her royal title opens every door.
Industry insiders have been whispering about this for months – questioning whether Markle’s lifestyle pivot is authentic or just another cash grab.
Earlier this year, Paltrow diplomatically admitted she wasn’t familiar with Markle’s Netflix show "With Love, Meghan" or her American Riviera Orchard brand, though she said she was "inclined to support her."⁴
Even that lukewarm response felt more like professional courtesy than genuine endorsement.
Markle’s brand gets reality check
Here’s what Stewart was really getting at – Markle jumped into a business she doesn’t understand.
The lifestyle game runs on trust, not titles. Customers want to buy from someone who actually knows their stuff.
The lifestyle industry isn’t like Hollywood, where fame can paper over a lack of substance.
Customers spending premium prices on kitchen products, home goods, and artisanal foods want to know they’re buying from someone who actually knows what they’re doing.
Stewart didn’t wake up famous – she built her reputation recipe by recipe, garden by garden, dinner party by dinner party.
Paltrow took her Oscar credibility and actually studied wellness trends, nutrition science, and lifestyle markets before launching Goop.
Markle’s playbook looks completely different. Netflix deal first, figure out the expertise later.
Critics savaged "With Love, Meghan" for exactly this reason – it felt like someone reading from a script rather than sharing real knowledge.⁵
American Riviera Orchard launched exactly like you’d expect from a celebrity brand. Small batches, big prices, "exclusive" everything.
Problem is, lifestyle customers aren’t stupid. They see right through that playbook.
Stewart’s comments weren’t random shade. They were a master class in how this industry actually works.
What Stewart knows that Markle doesn’t
Stewart’s critique hit on something fundamental about the lifestyle business that Markle seems to miss.
This isn’t Hollywood where star power can carry a mediocre product. Lifestyle customers are different – they’re investing in someone they trust to improve their actual lives.
Customers need to believe that the person selling them a recipe actually knows how to cook, that the home decorating advice comes from someone who understands design, and that the entertaining tips come from someone who has actually hosted successful parties.
Stewart earned that trust the hard way – starting with a catering company, then magazines, then television. Each step proved she knew what she was talking about.
Every product, every recipe, every decorating tip came with decades of real experience behind it.
Markle’s trying to skip those steps and jump straight to lifestyle guru status. Her customers aren’t buying it – literally.
You can charge whatever you want, but if people don’t believe you know what you’re doing, they won’t buy.
When Stewart said she "hopes" Markle knows her stuff, that wasn’t a friendly suggestion. That was a public questioning of Markle’s competence.
This business destroys fakes. Ask any celebrity who tried to coast on fame alone – their lifestyle brands are sitting in discount bins.
Markle’s got two choices now. Actually learn the business or watch American Riviera Orchard join the graveyard of failed celebrity brands.
Stewart just told the whole industry that royal connections don’t mean squat if you can’t back up your claims.
¹ Christina Dugan Ramirez, "Martha Stewart takes jab at Meghan Markle’s lifestyle brand, questions if she ‘knows what she’s talking about’," Fox News, July 31, 2025.
² Ibid.
³ Ibid.
⁴ Ibid.
⁵ Ibid.
