Meghan Markle's Netflix show delayed due to LA fires

A new Netflix series starring Meghan Markle, the actress wife of Britain's Prince Harry, has been delayed due to the devastating Los Angeles wildfires, the Duchess of Sussex said Sunday.

"With Love, Meghan," an eight-episode lifestyle and cooking show, was due to debut on the streaming platform on Wednesday.

But with blazes that have killed at least 16 people still burning across Los Angeles and thousands of homes destroyed, it has been pushed back to March.

"I'm thankful to my partners at Netflix for supporting me in delaying the launch as we focus on the needs of those impacted by the wildfires in my home state of California," Markle said.

Markle, born in Los Angeles, lives with Harry in Montecito, a swanky coastal enclave some 100 miles (160 kilometers) northwest of the city.

(FILES) Britain's Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, attends the "Keynote: Breaking Barriers, Shaping Narratives: How Women Lead On and Off the Screen," during the SXSW 2024 Conference and Festivals at the Austin Convention Center on March 8, 2024, in Austin, Texas. Meghan Markle, the actress wife of Britain's Prince Harry, will launch her new lifestyle and cooking show on Netflix on January 15, 2025, she announced January 2 on social media. Photo by SUZANNE CORDEIRO / AFP

A Netflix statement called the show a "heartfelt tribute to the beauty of Southern California."

The delay was made at "the request of Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, and with the full support of Netflix... due to the ongoing devastation caused by the Los Angeles wildfires," the statement said.

Last week, Harry and Meghan were seen in the Los Angeles suburb of Pasadena, comforting fire survivors.

They also issued a statement urging Californians to open their homes to evacuees.

"If a friend, loved one or pet has to evacuate and you can offer them a haven in your home, please do," said a statement on their official website.

A publicist did not respond to AFP's request for comment on whether the couple had personally hosted any evacuees.

However, a report in Britain's Telegraph said they were sheltering "friends and loved ones who the wildfires have displaced."

The pair had also donated "clothing, children's items and other essential supplies," it said.

A trailer for "With Love, Meghan" previewed the "Suits" star sharing tips on cooking, gardening, crafting, flower arranging, and hosting.

Guests will include celebrated chef Alice Waters, actress Mindy Kaling, and close friend Abigail Spencer, one of Markle's "Suits" co-stars. Harry appears briefly in the trailer.

Since stepping away from their official royal duties in early 2020, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been cut off from the royal purse, forcing them to develop their sources of income.

Their partnership with Netflix yielded the much-talked-about "Harry & Meghan," a six-episode docuseries launched in December 2022.

In March 2024, Meghan launched the lifestyle brand American Riviera Orchard.