When lifestyle guru Martha Stewart was quizzed about Meghan Markle, she offered a damning assessment of the Duchess of Sussex. During an interview with Yahoo Australia, Martha was asked how she feels about other celebrities following in her footsteps and setting up their own lifestyle brands.

The reporter asked Martha: “You have been coined ‘the influencer’s influencer’, you’ve created this whole industry that is a huge part of culture now, right? What is it like to watch other celebrities – Gwyneth Paltrow, Meghan Markle – going in your footsteps and following something that you’ve really started?”

She responded with gushing praise for Paltrow: “I don’t mind. I don’t mind, good luck! And Gwyneth’s been very successful, by the way. I think she’s created quite an interesting body of businesses, she’s admired, she won an Oscar, for heaven’s sake, as an actress! You know, she’s pretty powerful.”

But then came her assessment of Meghan – and some fans interpreted it as a thinly-veiled swipe. Martha responded: “Meghan I don’t really know very well, and I hope she knows what she’s talking about.

“Authenticity to me is everything. And to be authentic and knowledgeable about your subject matter is extremely important.”

Martha was also confronted about Meghan’s Netflix show With Love, Meghan during an interview with Access Hollywood – admitting she “hadn’t watched it yet”. She said: “I’ll watch an episode and see how she does. I’m curious.”

In the past, Martha has refused to speak about Meghan’s viral jams, which were sold at around $22.50 a jar. Martha shut down a reporter who asked for her opinion on the release, snapping: “No, I’m not going there.”