FAKE HOME? Design Guru Laurence Slams Meghan for Filming Netflix Show in ‘Borrowed House’ — Not Her Own
A fresh controversy is swirling around Meghan Markle — and this time, it’s not about what she said, but where she said it.
Design commentator and television personality Laurence has ignited a fierce online debate after publicly questioning the authenticity of the property used in Meghan’s recent Netflix series, suggesting that the glossy, sun-drenched home viewers were shown may not have been her actual Montecito residence — but a borrowed location used for filming.
And the internet has not been quiet.
In a series of pointed remarks that quickly went viral, Laurence accused the production of presenting a “manufactured lifestyle fantasy” rather than a genuine behind-the-scenes look at Meghan’s real life.
“This wasn’t authenticity — this was staging,” he claimed.
The comments landed like a bombshell among royal watchers and Netflix viewers who believed the show offered an intimate, personal glimpse into Meghan’s world. Within hours, side-by-side images of luxury properties began circulating online, with armchair investigators comparing window layouts, kitchens, gardens and architectural details in an attempt to determine whether the house on screen truly matched the Sussexes’ reported Montecito estate.
While neither Meghan nor Netflix has publicly confirmed the exact filming location, multiple production insiders have acknowledged that lifestyle shows often use alternative properties for lighting, space and security reasons — a common industry practice.
But critics argue that the issue is not logistics — it’s perception.
“When a show markets itself as personal, warm and real, viewers expect it to actually be real,” said one media analyst. “If the house isn’t hers, people feel misled.”
Social media reaction has been intense.
Some fans rushed to Meghan’s defence, pointing out that filming in a different property does not invalidate the message or content of the show. Others were far less forgiving, accusing the production of crossing the line from curated into contrived.
“It changes how you see everything,” one viral post read. “If the house is staged, what else is?”
The controversy arrives at an awkward time for the Duchess, whose recent media ventures have faced mixed reviews and cooling public enthusiasm. For a figure already battling accusations of image management and over-curation, the “borrowed house” narrative has added a new layer to an already complicated public image.
“People are craving authenticity,” one public-relations consultant explained. “And once doubt creeps in, every detail becomes a potential trigger.”
Supporters insist that the backlash is unfair, arguing that lifestyle television has always relied on controlled environments and that Meghan is being held to a harsher standard than other celebrity hosts.
Critics counter that Meghan’s brand has long leaned heavily on personal storytelling — making the setting far more significant than it would be for a standard reality programme.
Whether the filming choice proves to be a harmless production decision or a damaging credibility issue remains to be seen. But one thing is clear:
The house has become the headline.
The illusion is under scrutiny.
And Meghan’s Netflix era has just entered another turbulent chapter — one that may once again test public trust in the story she’s trying to tell.
