On Set with Meghan Markle: Insiders Reveal What It Was Really Like Working on With Love, Meghan 

Meghan Markle’s latest chapter is unfolding both on-screen and off.

As With Love, Meghan debuts on Netflix and her lifestyle brand As ever gains momentum, those who worked alongside her share with PEOPLE what it was like to bring her vision to life. And with a second season already filmed and set to premiere this fall, the Duchess of Sussex is just getting started.

As Meghan, 43, shared with PEOPLE in this week’s cover story, she envisioned the show as a “communal” experience, where the crew wasn’t just behind the camera, but part of the action.

“It feels as though we’re just spending time together, which is what it ended up being,” she says of the crew’s presence on the series. “I’d make a recipe and say, ‘Everyone try this,’ and there are certain dishes where you just watch everyone flock in. I’d say, ‘We’ve run out of spoons!’ It ended up feeling so communal, and that’s the spirit of the show.”

Here’s a behind-the-scenes look at her creative process, on-set dynamic and what really went on behind closed doors.

Director Michael Steed

Michael Steed, who previously worked on the Emmy-winning series Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown, tells PEOPLE of his role on the show: “It was unexpected, but I embraced it…it was a lot of fun. I was always going to be the point of conversation, so she had someone to talk to at all times and make it more conversational and comfortable. But it certainly evolved to where the cameras turned towards me.”

Steed also had a front-row seat to Meghan’s culinary skills, noting, “Her cooking is pretty spot-on. She’s not a chef, and it’s definitely not meant to make it seem like she is, but there’s just a love of cooking that is palpable.”

And while everything may have looked flawless on screen, Steed says the team wasn’t aiming for perfection. “For me, imperfection is a wonderful thing. It was fun watching her trying to get used to the kitchen, because it’s not her place, so we didn’t hide that fact, and she’s kind of walking and looking for things. I really wanted to embrace and celebrate all of the mistakes and mess and all that good stuff.”

When it came to Meghan’s presence on set, Steed describes her as “friendly” and approachable, creating a “comfortable environment” for everyone involved. “Meghan as a person is totally L.A., California, through and through,” he says.

He also learned that Meghan’s childhood experiences on sets helped her quickly form strong connections with the crew. “Her relationship with the crew became really tight fairly quickly. She has an understanding of what it means to be on set and she connected with the crew more than anyone.”

Despite the high pressure of shooting, Steed notes that the atmosphere was still “chill” and “fun.” “Everyone was a pro all the way through. She’s a pro,” he says.

In between scenes, Meghan would often play music, but Steed’s job was to keep things moving along. “I was always the one who had to turn the music off — that as my role to keep everything on track. She’d call me the ‘Brooklyn Bummer,’” he says with a laugh.

“Everyone has their own version of her, but she’s just someone who’s constantly hustling and working,” he adds. “I really wanted to create an environment where she could relax, especially given the pressures she faces daily. I’m glad we could create moments where she could tap into a different side of herself.”

Steed’s favorite scenes to shoot weren’t in the kitchen, but rather the ones where Meghan engaged in activities like flower arranging or gift wrapping. “Those were the most fun for me,” he says. “It’s where she really got lost in what she was doing, and the camera kind of disappeared.”

The flower shop scene, in fact, was the first they filmed. “It was such a fun moment into her mind — watching her pick out the flowers and show how she thinks,” Steed reflects.

At the heart of the show, he adds, is the ethos of going the extra mile for others. “I know it sounds corny, but I really think the core of Meghan’s being is her generosity. She wants to do the extra thing, and I think that’s something everyone should take to heart.”

Crew member

“Most of the time, we’re expected to fade into the background, to be invisible,” a crew member tells PEOPLE about the collaborative atmosphere on set. “But in this show, we were part of it. We were included. It was a very unique and refreshing experience.”

He adds that Meghan was incredibly “warm,” “approachable” and “genuine.” “She made sure everyone felt included, from Netflix executives to our director to every PA on set. No one was left out,” he says.

“During a break in filming, Meghan asked everyone about their favorite cocktails. I shared that I gave up drinking when I became a father, so I’ve been sober for almost 14 years,” the crew member says. Days later, while adjusting her microphone, Meghan surprised him when she mentioned how much she respected the commitment he’d made to his family. “Meghan made us feel seen,” he shares.

Each week, Meghan did something thoughtful for the crew. “Whether it was a coffee cart in the morning or there was one day where the forecast called for it to be particularly hot, and she had a shaved ice truck for us at lunch,” he says. “One day, she had a bespoke ice cream cart with local homemade ice cream. She had an acai truck for us, too. Every week, she did something like that for us. It was really lovely.”

He notes that Meghan was also open to learning throughout the process. “She didn’t seem too married to any one idea. If something didn’t go perfectly, she was fine with it and moved on to the next thing,” he says.

The crew member recalls that Meghan always made sure everyone got a taste of what was made. “She was a great hostess. Between takes, if something was ready to eat, she’d cut it into bite-sized pieces and serve it to us.”

He also reflects on the visits from Prince Harry, Archie and Lilibet: “Whenever Harry visited set, he was always super polite and friendly. But it was clear he wanted this to be Meghan’s moment to shine.”

As for the couple’s kids, the crew member adds: “She was super attentive and doting on them. We would give them headphones so they could listen to audio.”

A few crew members filmed at Meghan’s actual residence when they shot outside her home. “Man, they have carved themselves out a nice little slice of paradise there,” the crew member says. “We were by the chicken coop, the garden and the beehive. All of it is so peaceful and so serene. She’s got a lovely life there, and it was nice to just have a little glimpse of it.”

At the end of filming, Meghan gave the crew a wrap gift. “She gave us a pan from Our Place, a sauté-style fry pan. And a personally monogrammed spoon with her handwriting that says, ‘Thank You, Crew.'”

Alice Waters, chef and farm-to-table pioneer

Meghan and the restaurateur hit it off during filming and are now texting pals. “We really had a connection. It was deeply heartwarming,” Waters tells PEOPLE. “We can just talk, and I love that about her.”

In one memorable scene, Meghan wraps a special gift for Alice. “It was a necklace,” Waters says. “I love it.”

Waters admires the way Meghan incorporates biodiversity into her family life. “She wants to connect her children with the gardens and the chickens,” she says. “I am so concerned about how our children are growing up right now and parents who just deeply connect with their kids around food, is very uplifting for me to experience”

Daniel Martin, longtime friend and makeup artist

Daniel Martin shares that much of his personal time with Meghan is spent in the kitchen.

“Whenever I spend time with her, a big part of it is in the kitchen — watching her cook, having conversations, talking about everything. It’s like any other family,” he says.

Of their scenes together, he adds: “I love our episode so much because you truly get to see us together. We have a very cool brother-sister dynamic. I can’t wait for the world to see the person I’ve known for so long.”

Chef Roy Choi

Acclaimed chef Roy Choi says of Meghan’s cooking skills: “She was great. This wasn’t an act, you know? This is something she truly loves to do. She was very natural in the kitchen. She knows how to welcome people — that’s a big part of cooking too.”

Meghan and Roy bonded over their L.A. roots. “It was like seeing a friend or someone you’ve known for a while, like when you work at the mall together, connect and become best friends instantaneously,” he says. “She’s the Duchess of Sussex, but before that she was Meghan from L.A., from Immaculate Heart High School. I could see the genuineness in her, like before her whole life changed. She’s Meghan from the block.”

He adds, “We had common memories and there were no formal eggshell-like introductory moments.”

He further reflects on the show’s impact, particularly its shift to March amid the wildfires in Los Angeles: “The whole show is a celebration of California, and it was really touching that Meghan and Netflix decided to move the show to March,” he says. “Everything that’s happened here in Los Angeles has been devastating — beyond the news coverage or what’s been reported, it’s been real, and it’s affected so many lives.”

He continues, “She’s from L.A., from Hollywood, went to school on Western and Franklin. Growing up here, you’re surrounded by so many cultures, flavors, ingredients and the weather. Meghan is a living, breathing example of that.”

“Now she has this platform to share all of it with the world, and it’s really significant for us,” he continues. “People often stereotype L.A. and California, but when you grow up here, there’s so much people don’t know about us. For her to have the stage to showcase that—it’s like a new renaissance for our lifestyle.”

Vicky Tsai, friend and Tatcha skin-care founder

Vicky Tsai describes her experience on-set with Meghan as “a fun day — the flying dumpling!” She adds, “It felt like just a normal day with her. As someone who’s very camera-shy, I forgot there were cameras there in minutes, and it was just hanging out. I’m excited for people to see my friend.”

Tsai also speaks to Meghan’s knack for creating meaningful experiences: “Whenever I go to her home, there’s always an intimate gathering going on. She wants to create magical experiences for people.”

She continues, “She’s really creative and curious. She enjoys things that you wouldn’t expect — like mahjong. She’s constantly trying to pull me into her weekly mahjong group. And she and Harry are pretty passionate about pickleball. They are trying to convince me to join the group!”

Jake Rosenberg, friend and photographer

Photographer Jake Rosenberg has built a lasting friendship with Meghan over the years, having captured her through many significant moments — from her Suits days, to moments with her children and on the set of her new show.

“It really does feel like the good old days,” he tells PEOPLE. “It’s been a wild journey to watch her now come into this next chapter and get back to her roots.”

He adds, “All this time has passed and now we’re sort of right back where we were again —experimenting and having fun and trying different things and seeing what works and what doesn’t work. She’s so involved in the creative process and it’s really nice to work with somebody that cares about what they do and puts so much care into each and every thing.”

On photographing Meghan for the exclusive photos used in her PEOPLE cover shoot, he says: “It just feels like we’re two friends hanging out, you know? We end up going for a walk and come out with a series of images that we look back on and they feel really natural and true to who she is.”

In capturing Meghan with her beloved rescue beagle, Guy, who died earlier this year, Jake recalls: “She sat on the kitchen floor and we were just chatting. Guy loved being close to her, so he came over, and I began capturing those little moments. We ended up with a series of images.”

He adds, “I’ve known Guy since he was a puppy. He was such a big part of her life.”

Ryan Sax, friend and website designer

Meghan and Ryan Sax first crossed paths when the former Suits star enlisted him to design her lifestyle blog, The Tig. Ryan, the founder of Article, a digital creative agency based in Toronto, continued to collaborate with Meghan on several high-profile projects, including the creation of the SussexRoyal.com and Archewell.org websites, as well as Sussex.com. Most recently, he has helped bring to life her new lifestyle brand, AsEver.com.

“We share this love for the details,” Sax tells PEOPLE. “We’ve built this level of trust.”

Reflecting on their early collaboration, Sax recalls the launch of TheTig.com in 2014, when Meghan showed up unannounced at their studio with handwritten notes and a bottle of Tignanello wine —the wine that inspired the name of her website — for everyone on the team. “She was showing her appreciation for the work that we had done…that doesn’t often happen,” he says.

When it comes to AsEver.com, Sax shares, “We’ve been working hand-in-hand with Meghan on the creative and I think it’s really great.”

On a more personal note, Sax adds, “I’ve known Meghan for a long time now. My family and I spent the summer in Southern California in 2022, and one day we visited Meghan’s house in Montecito. Our families were hanging out, and it was one of those full-circle moments.”

“We met in 2014, and our lives were completely different,” he says. “Fast forward to 2022, so much had changed. Now, our kids are playing together and it just makes you step back and realize how unpredictable life can be.”