Meghan Markle Slammed As 'A Fake Royal' Amid Claim She Tried To 'Use Dolly Parton's Star Power'
By Afouda Bamidele on June 3, 2025 at 1:15 PM EDT

The criticisms against Meghan Markle are never-ending, with a popular celebrity commentator claiming other A-listers want nothing to do with the Duchess of Sussex.
Kinsey Schofield spilled the tea in a recent appearance on "The Nerve with Maureen Callahan," revealing the most popular celebrities who turned down deals with the former actress.
The list included country icon Dolly Parton, who allegedly refused to participate in Meghan Markle's lifestyle show. The "Suits" alum launched "With Love, Meghan" in partnership with Netflix and had stars like Mindy Kaling and Abigail Spencer on board.
Celebrity Commentator Reveals The Stars That Turned Meghan Markle Down

While sharing insider gossip with host Callahan, Schofield revealed several stars had refused to work with Meghan. She noted sensational singer Taylor Swift skipped out on starring on the Duchess's Archetypes podcast, with Beyoncé following suit.
However, Parton made the top of the list for her team's cold response to Meghan's renewed Netflix show. Schofield alleged a source told her the former actress tried to get the "Jolene" hitmaker to appear on an episode of the series or even make a cameo.
"Her team was livid because, no, they don't want to risk Dolly's epic Q score [and] her popularity by associating with Meghan Markle. And they knew that this ask was just to give Megan Markle credibility in this lifestyle space, a space that Dolly does have a lot of credibility in," Schofield claimed.
Kinsey Schofield Claims Dolly Parton's Team Shut Down The Duchess' Alleged Exploitation

Schofield explained that Parton's team were vehemently against the singer partnering with Meghan or seen in the same space with her because they knew she was after "Dolly Parton's star power."
The celebrity commentator emphasized that Parton was a cultural icon, and anything she touched would inevitably become a success.
The podcast's host, Callahan, echoed similar sentiments about Parton's team making the right choice by refusing Meghan's offer. She described the country icon as someone "authentic" despite her fake nails and wigs, unlike Meghan, who came across as someone phony.
"It would just be like a spontaneous combustion of good versus evil. I think if Dolly were to enter a fake kitchen with a fake…I think she's a fake royal, you know, and making some fake food and pretending that they're great friends. I just don't think Dolly should have to suffer in that way," Callahan added.
British Media Personality Slams Meghan's Netflix Show

Schofield and Callahan weren't the only critics to condemn Meghan's efforts to break into the entertainment industry, with a British media personality echoing similar arguments. The Blast covered the story, reporting that Esther Krakue slammed the Duchess of Sussex as a "boring" person unfit for TV.
Krakue argued that Netflix might regret partnering with Meghan and her husband, saying: "It was obviously a business risk taking them on." She believed the streaming giant wasted £78 million collaborating with the couple, who only wanted the money to alleviate their security problems.
Although she described Meghan and Harry as the "world's most boring couple," the political commentator believed they could still save their image. She advised the Duchess of Sussex to stop portraying herself as a CEO that other women could come to for advice and focus on promoting her relationship.
The Former Actress Might Do Better Spilling Her Relationship Details

According to Krakue, instead of being a lifestyle show host, Meghan could win more fans and achieve greater success by talking about her royal romance. "I want to know, how did you bag a prince? What did you do? What were the techniques? Who's your waxing lady? I want to know the juicy stuff that should make her interesting," the media personality said.
She argued that Meghan had the potential to keep people interested in her by sharing these details. However, she suspected the Duchess was too "terrified to tell the public" about the highs and lows of her relationship with Harry.
Krakue claimed the person Meghan portrayed herself as and who she was were utterly different. While many criticized Meghan's actions, she, on the other hand, fought desperately to keep a smiling face in public.
During a bonus episode of her "Confessions of a Female Founder," the former working royal got candid about her struggles with Beyoncé's mother, Tina Knowles.
Meghan Markle Endures Untold Struggles Behind The Scenes

Since launching her podcast, Meghan has gotten vulnerable about the highs and lows of being a businesswoman. During her conversation with Ms. Knowles, she revealed the public only saw "the flashy stuff" about her business, but they never knew "how many tears I've shed."
Although she might have cried from her untold struggles, sadness wasn't the only reason she shed tears. Meghan revealed she and her team planned a whole year before launching her As Ever brand's first product, only for it to be sold out in less than an hour.
Meghan, per In Style, noted that customers clearing out her stock in 45 minutes made her feel incredibly happy. Nonetheless, it sparked questions about what to do next. She wondered if restocking would generate more buyers or if the initial sale was just s buzz that would quickly die out.
Will Meghan Markle ever catch a break from critics?