Meghan Markle has her eyes on the prize.
On Tuesday, the Duchess of Sussex made a surprise appearance alongside her Montecito neighbor, Gwyneth Paltrow. The two women teamed up for an “Ask me a question” segment on Instagram after the “Shakespeare in Love” actress was accused of feuding with the “Suits” alum.
However, experts told Fox News Digital that Meghan was doing more than just having fun with the Oscar winner while trying to squash rumors. They believe it’s part of her plan to become a royal influencer in California.
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While the experts noted there’s no competition between the women, there are still lessons Meghan can learn from the Goop founder about being a lifestyle guru.
“Trying to catch up with Goop would be like starting a cross-country road trip behind someone who’s already two time zones ahead,” Doug Eldridge, branding expert and founder of Achilles PR, told Fox News Digital.
“Eventually, you’ll get from coast to coast, but it’s unlikely you’ll catch up to the other driver unless you manage to take a radically different direction and route,” he shared. “To some extent, that’s the case for Meghan. On the other hand, if she’s able to generate just half the revenue that Goop takes in, that would be a ‘win’ by almost any metric.”
“The lifestyle space is crowded, and digital retail is incredibly competitive,” he warned. “Neither is easy to break into nor easy to climb once you do.”
In the video, a fan asked Paltrow, “Are you comprehending the Meghan Markle beef that social media says you two have?”
“I genuinely do not understand this at all whatsoever,” the Goop founder responded.
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Paltrow then panned her phone to the left, revealing a shrugging Meghan sitting at her kitchen table eating a piece of pie before starting to laugh. Meghan also posted the video to her Instagram story.
Fans previously claimed Paltrow was throwing shade at the Duchess of Sussex over the weekend when she posted a cooking video on Instagram of her “cleaner take on a classic breakfast” that looked similar to Meghan’s show.
Kinsey Schofield, host of the To Di For Daily podcast, saw things differently.
“I have followed Gwyneth Paltrow on Instagram for years, and this is a typical weekend post, casually cooking for her husband, Brad, in her kitchen,” Schofield explained. “This is the furthest thing from a slight on Meghan Markle.”
“Realistically, if Gwyneth’s Instagram aesthetic looked familiar, it is likely because Meghan Markle was trying to recreate it for her television show,” said Schofield. “But Gwyneth did it first. She wasn’t shading anyone with her normal kitchen routine.”
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Paltrow, who is leading a successful lifestyle empire after an acting career, recently told Vanity Fair for a cover story she wasn’t overly familiar with Meghan’s widely panned Netflix show, “With Love, Meghan,” or her lifestyle brand, “As Ever,” but was inclined to support her.
“I don’t know Meghan and Harry,” said the 52-year-old about her royal neighbors. “I mean, I’ve met Meghan, who seems really lovely, but I don’t know her at all.
“Maybe I’ll try to get through their security detail and bring them a pie.”
Referring to the backlash Meghan has received, Paltrow said when “there’s noise about certain women in the culture, I do have, always, a strong instinct to stand up for them.”
“I was raised to see other women as friends, not foes. I think there’s always more than enough to go around. Everybody deserves an attempt at everything that they want to try.”
On Monday, before Meghan’s playdate with Paltrow, the duchess unveiled her ShopMy page where fans can buy several looks from go-to brands she’s worn before, as well as beauty products. Many of the pieces, similar to Goop’s collection of high-quality basics, sold out.
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“A handpicked and curated collection of the things I love — I hope you enjoy them,” Meghan wrote, noting that “some products may contain commissionable links.”
Despite their similar looks, Schofield is adamant that Paltrow is far from professional competition for Meghan.
“Gwyneth is perpetually positive and doesn’t complain about people or dwell on the negative,” Schofield explained. “She has a very successful e-commerce business, beauty products, teenagers, a gorgeous, busy husband, and an iconic acting career.”
“It took Meghan five years to produce a TV show that saw her organizing rainbow fruit trays,” said Schofield. “These two are not on the same playing field.”
Some of Meghan’s go-to looks from her online closet include leather thong sandals priced at $495, a “Windsor” ivory silk gown worth $1,350 and a “Perfect T” shirt costing $100. There is also a gold Maya Brenner “Happiness Retreat” citrine stone necklace made in collaboration with Meghan’s “Suits” co-star Abigail Spencer, worth $495, among others.
Similarly, Goop also sells luxurious pieces to its loyal followers. Among the items available on its site include a “sleek meets chic” Zoe top priced at $990, gray Annie trousers for $525 and an Amanu Kigali sandal priced at $395 that was “handmade in Kenya from Italian leather.”
Engie Hassan, a celeb stylist and fashion commentator, described Meghan’s style as “quiet luxury soccer mom,” which is admired by those wanting to look like a Hollywood star – or American royal.
“As a fashion stylist with 15 years of experience working with royals and celebrities and styling cooking shows, I can’t help but admire Meghan’s wardrobe,” Hassan told Fox News Digital.
“One of the things that truly stands out is how she effortlessly wears staples that anyone could have in their closet. It’s refreshing to see her dressed in pieces that feel relatable and accessible yet still manage to be incredibly chic and elevated.”
“Meghan’s style still feels grounded in everyday staples — things like classic white shirts, tanks, cozy-knit sweaters and clean, structured trousers, pieces that any woman could have in her closet,” said Hassan. “This isn’t just about looking put-together for the school run; it’s about being the kind of woman who exudes grace and sophistication without any pretension.”
Paltrow, 52, originally founded Goop as a home and lifestyle weekly newsletter in 2008, People magazine reported. According to Forbes, the brand has developed into a successful wellness empire worth $250 million.
Meghan, 43, launched her lifestyle brand, As Ever, as well as her series in March. She previously had a blog called “The Tig,” which debuted in 2014. She closed the site down after meeting Harry, 40, in 2017. The former actress became the Duchess of Sussex when she married the British prince in 2018.
Lyndie Benson, founder and CEO of the luxury clothing brand Bleusalt, told the Wall Street Journal that a T-shirt from her label, worn by Meghan and featured on her ShopMy page, sold out with over 300 purchased in one day.
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Molly Howard, co-founder and CEO of fashion brand La Ligne, told the outlet that a pair of jeans worn by Meghan on her show “sold out within days.”
While Meghan is on her way to being in the same league as Paltrow as a lifestyle guru, she has bumpy roads to cross. After the premiere of “With Love, Meghan,” the duchess was slammed on social media for being inauthentic. Eldridge warned that Meghan “just needs to be herself,” not a Goop repeat.
“The one thing that always eluded her was relatability and that’s due, in some part, to the crucial element she often overlooks: the importance of authenticity,” he said.
“Less production, less pomp, less scripting – just be you,” said Eldridge. “… There’s both a confidence and a sense of humility that comes with just being yourself.”
Like Meghan, Paltrow faced her fair share of skepticism when she started Goop, which has since become successful.
“Gwyneth started her career, and more specifically Goop, with a haughtier feel, but has since dulled the blade to be more relatable,” Eldridge explained. “The real issue to consider here… for anyone trying to get into the lifestyle space, is that relatability is tied hand-in-hand with authenticity and a seemingly effortless casualness.”
“Ina Garten and Martha Stewart, at least initially, were not relatable,” he continued. “They were aspirational. By contrast, Rachael Ray was the ‘girl next door’ from day one… [But] each was a deliberate marketing strategy.
“Each one worked because it was authentic to the personality and meshed with the feel and vibe of their respective programs… Viewers embraced [these women] because they were who and what they were presenting. They weren’t projecting something they were not.”
“Again, authenticity is king,” he added.
Regardless of the criticism, Meghan is making space for herself at the table. Products from her As Ever brand are expected to be available for purchase this spring. New episodes of “With Love, Meghan,” will be available for streaming in the fall. She also released a teaser for her new podcast, “Confessions of a Female Founder,” which debuts April 8.
The eight-episode show will feature conversations with other female founders about leading successful businesses.
