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In January, as soon as Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, announced on Instagram that she would have a new cooking show on Netflix, I immediately began pursuing an article for The New York Times.
I knew that a profile of Meghan would be seen by readers around the world, and it has, becoming one of the Food desk’s most-read stories so far this year. But I had no idea that the article would generate a cyclone of reactions — not only about Meghan, but about journalism, The Times and me.
Landing an audience with a member of the British royal family, even one who is not in good standing, is a tricky bit of ballet, as generations of Times journalists in London can attest.
Times reporters never promise positive coverage, accept incentives like free travel, or allow a source to review an article before it’s published.
We do request “exclusive” interviews, in which the subject promises not to provide the same degree of access to another publication before our article runs. This usually happens when the subject has something to announce, or wants to discuss a new project (in Meghan’s case, her Netflix series, “With Love, Meghan,” and her product line, As Ever) and The Times wants the first, and most in-depth, interview. As a writer for the Food desk, I wanted that interview — and more.
I wanted to find out if Meghan really was the competent — not expert — home cook she presents on camera, and hadn’t been edited or coached to appear that way. I was determined to get into Meghan and Harry’s house, and see her in action in her home kitchen. (Not the one on the show, which was filmed at another house.) Allowing me in would be a risk, because Meghan’s team knew that I would write what I saw, not what they wanted me to see.
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