As the queen of country music, Dolly Parton has mingled with many members of the Royal Family. However, it’s claimed that Meghan Markle was one royal she wasn’t keen to connect with.
Dolly was reportedly invited to appear on Meghan’s latest Netflix series, With Love, Meghan, where the Duchess of Sussex hosted various celebrity guests who cooked and participated in other activities.
Thanks to her popular baking products and cookbooks, Dolly Parton would have been the perfect guest for Meghan Markle’s lifestyle show.
However, celebrity commentator Kinsey Schofield claims Dolly ‘snubbed’ Meghan’s invite, with her team concerned it could harm Dolly’s reputation and popularity.
In an episode of her podcast in May, Kinsey told Daily Mail journalist Maureen Callahan, “They didn’t want to risk Dolly’s Q Score or her popularity by associating with Meghan Markle. They knew this was an attempt to give Meghan credibility in a space where Dolly already has a lot of influence.”
(A Q Score is a measure of a celebrity’s appeal and familiarity, mainly used in advertising and marketing.)
A spokesperson from the series has denied these allegations.
In a statement to Page Six, the gossip column in the New York Post, a spokesperson for the show said, “This story is false. At no point did anybody from the show’s production or Netflix approach Dolly Parton or her team to appear on With Love, Meghan.”
The caliber of stars featured on the lifestyle show has been seen as lacking the Hollywood glamour that Harry and Meghan sought to project when they relocated to Los Angeles in 2020.
Meghan is said to have faced difficulties in booking some of her more famous friends for With Love, Meghan, which launched in March.
Viewers had expected big names like Oprah Winfrey (her Montecito neighbor), tennis legend Serena Williams, and actor-filmmaker Tyler Perry, who is godfather to Princess Lilibet. However, the Duchess only managed to secure Suits co-star Abigail Spencer, socialite Delfina Figueras (wife of Harry’s polo friend Nacho), and chef Roy Choi.
The biggest stars featured were Harry himself—who appeared for just a few minutes in the final episode—and The US Office‘s Mindy Kaling, who made an appearance in episode two.
A source told The Sun, “They struggled to book guests. They had a real hard time, and it shows.”
Expectations had been high for the series, especially after Meghan’s previous creative projects featured a lineup of top-tier stars.
The short-lived podcast Archetypes, which lasted just 12 episodes over three months, featured guests like Serena Williams, singer Mariah Carey, socialite Paris Hilton, and Superbad filmmaker Judd Apatow.
Meanwhile, Harry & Meghan, the Sussexes’ first Netflix project, included appearances from Tyler Perry and Serena Williams, with Serena sharing her experience attending the Sussexes’ wedding.
Netflix executives are reportedly underwhelmed by the couple’s output, including the docuseries Heart of Invictus and Harry’s recent series Polo, which featured very little of the Duke.
Despite Kinsey’s allegations, Dolly Parton has previously suggested she might be open to collaborating with Meghan on future projects. “Well, never say never, you never know where you’re gonna go,” the 79-year-old told HuffPost in May.
Dolly also shared that she’ll be traveling to the UK in October and hopes to have afternoon tea with Queen Camilla. “I’m going to go over there and really rub elbows with the royalty. So yes, anything is possible. I never say no to anything,” she said.
Last year, Dolly invited the Prince and Princess of Wales and their children to visit her amusement park, Dollyland.
In 1986, Dolly Parton teamed up with theme park owners Jack and Pete Herschend of Herschend Enterprises to transform what was once Silver Dollar City into Dollywood. The park, located in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, is the most-visited tourist attraction in the state, drawing millions of visitors each year. It features a variety of rides and roller coasters, and is also known for its famous food, including a 25-pound apple pie, cinnamon bread, and pork rinds with pimento cheese.
While Prince William and Kate have yet to take up Dolly’s offer to visit Dollywood, Daily Mail‘s royal editor, Rebecca English, reported that the Royals could be crossing the pond next year to mark the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution. Although no formal invitation has been extended by the US yet, there’s a strong possibility the UK would agree to an outward royal visit for the occasion.
This could involve the King and Queen, but another scenario being discussed is that the Prince and Princess of Wales might make the trip. It would be their first joint royal tour in two years, following Catherine’s cancer diagnosis, and would certainly draw massive attention.
According to Rebecca English, nothing is confirmed until an official invitation for the bicentennial celebrations is extended, and much could change before then.
If William and Kate do make their way to the US, they’ll likely have the perfect opportunity to visit Dollywood during their trip.
Dolly Parton, who previously performed for Queen Elizabeth II in 1977 during the Silver Jubilee celebrations, has fond memories of meeting the Queen backstage at the Royal Variety Show in Glasgow.
Recalling the moment, Dolly admitted she was “scared to death” about curtsying correctly, but the “warm” and “sweet” Queen quickly put her at ease.
Dolly later described that performance as one of the “biggest thrills of my life.”