Why Meghan Markle could face an £8 million lawsuit over her TV show bath salts recipe

With love, Meghan outfits
(Image credit: Netflix)

The Duchess of Sussex has returned to the spotlight in 2025, with the 43-year-old mother of two releasing her new Netflix series, With Love, Meghan.

The viral show sees the Duchess share hosting and interiors tips, from flower arranging to her homemade recipes. And while the eight-episode series was undoubtedly popular, ranking in Netflix's 'Top 10 Shows' charts, it has also proven controversial, with Markle criticised for her "lack of authenticity", choosing not to film from her Montecito home.

It was a legal complaint that made the show headlines this week, as it was reported that a viewer had threatened to sue the Duchess of Sussex over her With Love, Meghan bath salts recipe.

The US-based viewer, Robyn Patrick, spoke out about her alleged injuries recently via RadarOnline, claiming that the bath salts recipe - a blend of Epsom salt, arnica oil, lavender oil and pink Himalayan salt, had left her with "catastrophic burns."

Patrick, who has explained that she is diabetic, also alleged that the homemade bath salts had left her in "significant pain and cosmetic distress". And according to a report by The Independent, she subsequently threatened to sue Markle, IPC, Netflix and Archewell Productions for £8 million in damages, as well as "compensatory damages" for medical expenses.

"IPC regrets to hear about any injuries you may have suffered," stated Intellectual Property Corporation's lawyer, Cameron Stracher, in a letter obtained by The Independent. "Under the law, neither IPC, Netflix, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, nor Archewell are liable to you for your claims.

"None of the parties responsible for the Series, including the entities you list in your letter, owe you a particular duty of care because you do not have a special relationship with any of them as a matter of law."

He continued: "There is nothing inherently dangerous about a mixture of salts, arnica oil, and essential oil. Thus, because the recipe for the bath salts that allegedly caused your injuries does not constitute a ‘clear and present danger’ to the public, you cannot pierce the First Amendment protections for speech by bringing a negligence claim against the entities that you threaten.

"Even assuming a negligence claim could be asserted, your letter fails to identify any legal basis to support such a claim, and in fact concedes that the proximate cause of your injuries was your health conditions, including diabetes," Stracher later added in the statement. "The use of Epsom salts is contraindicated for individuals with diabetes except on the advice of a physician.”

The Duchess of Sussex has not publicly responded.

We will continue to update this story.

Jenny Proudfoot
Features Editor

Jenny Proudfoot is an award-winning journalist, specialising in lifestyle, culture, entertainment, international development and politics. She has worked at Marie Claire UK for seven years, rising from intern to Features Editor and is now the most published Marie Claire writer of all time. She was made a 30 under 30 award-winner last year and named a rising star in journalism by the Professional Publishers Association.