In recent news, Meghan announced the launch of her new podcast, “Confessions of a Female Founder,” which will feature conversations with women entrepreneurs. Yet instead of focusing on the content or potential value of this venture, much of the media coverage has pivoted to harsh criticism questioning her qualifications and intentions.

The Pattern of Scrutiny

Looking at the March 13, 2025 article about Meghan’s podcast announcement reveals several concerning patterns in how she continues to be portrayed in certain media outlets:

1. Disproportionate Criticism: The article prominently features negative social media comments, giving significant space to harsh critics while providing minimal information about the actual podcast concept.
2. Questioning Qualifications: Critics claim she is “unqualified” despite her background as an entrepreneur (with her lifestyle brand American Riviera Orchard) and her previous work experience before royal life.
3. Dismissive Language: The article uses phrases like “may not be the success she’s hoping for” and highlights a previous “failure” (her Spotify podcast ending), setting a negative tone from the outset.
4. Amplification of Personal Attacks: Rather than focusing on substantive critique, the piece amplifies deeply personal attacks about her character, marriage, and family relationships.

A Deeper Problem

The treatment of Meghan Markle in media coverage reflects broader issues facing women of color in public life. Research has consistently shown that women of color face:

• More intense scrutiny of their qualifications
• Higher standards for proving competence
• Harsher criticism for perceived failures
• Less benefit of the doubt when facing challenges

These dynamics aren’t new or unique to Meghan. Studies have shown that Black women entrepreneurs face significant barriers in business, including difficulty securing funding and facing heightened skepticism about their capabilities. When viewed in this context, the criticism of Meghan’s podcast about female founders takes on additional significance.

The Right to Reinvention

Every entrepreneur faces setbacks. Silicon Valley even celebrates failure as a stepping stone to success. Yet Meghan is consistently denied the grace to evolve, learn, and try new ventures without having previous challenges used as evidence that she shouldn’t try again.

The underlying message seems to be that she should be silent and invisible rather than continuing to create and build. This expectation particularly impacts women of color, who often face pressure to be perfect or be dismissed entirely.

Moving Forward

As consumers of media, we have the responsibility to:

1. Question narratives that seem designed to provoke outrage rather than inform
2. Consider context when evaluating criticism
3. Recognize patterns in how different public figures are covered
4. Support constructive dialogue about public figures rather than personal attacks

Whether Meghan’s podcast succeeds will depend on its content, execution, and audience response—just like any other business venture. But everyone deserves the opportunity to be evaluated fairly on their work rather than through the lens of predetermined narratives.

What we should be asking isn’t “Does she deserve to create this podcast?” but rather “What might we learn from the conversations she facilitates with female entrepreneurs?” That would be a more productive conversation worth having.