Meghan Markle is determined to be a money-making influencer.
After months of anticipation, products from the Duchess of Sussex’s As Ever line went live on Wednesday. The gourmet products, including teas, baking mixes and, yes, jams, sold out in under an hour. The $28 wildflower honey sold out in less than five minutes, Vanity Fair reported.
Duncan Larcombe, former royal editor of The Sun, claimed to Fox News Digital that the “Suits” alum’s success with her brand is what the British royal family has been worried about from the start.
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“What this represents is Meghan effectively cashing in on her fame … even using her children to try and boost her presence online and sell units of her products,” he claimed. “This is exactly what the royals feared would happen. … [But] it’ll take a few weeks before we really know whether she hit the jackpot.
“She might have struck gold, but I think the overwhelming view here is just more of her cashing in on her fame, based upon her association with the British royal family,” Larcombe added. “[But] she isn’t popular here [in the U.K.]. And I can’t imagine that having a range of products like this is going to make any difference.”
The 43-year-old’s ability to make sale skyrocket has been called “The Meghan Effect.” Similar to her sister-in-law, Kate Middleton, the mother of two sparks major sales of anything she wears or is associated with.
British broadcaster and photographer Helena Chard accused the 43-year-old of using her royal family ties and even her children, whom she’s given glimpses of to her followers on social media, “to help make a quick buck.”
“This seems pretty lowbrow, although it’s bound to bring Meghan success,” said Chard. “The product prices are not astronomical. They are … affordable for her fans wishing to buy into ‘The Meghan Effect.’ But … are the products priced competitively enough, and are they tasty enough to keep continuous sales? Meghan is not a trained chef or even a professional foodie. She is playing a role.”
Meghan, a former American actress who had a lifestyle blog, The Tig, became the Duchess of Sussex when she married Prince Harry in 2018. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped back as senior royals in 2020, citing the unbearable media intrusions and lack of support from the palace.
The couple, looking to become financially independent, were said to be frustrated Buckingham Palace prevented them from developing their “Sussex Royal” brand, the BBC reported. They moved to California, where they are now raising their two young children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.
While they still have their duke and duchess titles, they are not addressed as His or Her Royal Highness (HRH). Harry also had to give up his military titles.
According to the BBC, when they stepped down as senior royals, Harry’s father, King Charles III, gave them “a substantial sum” to help establish a new life. They set up the Archewell foundation and took on several commercial deals, including one with Netflix.
In March 2024, Meghan launched her lifestyle brand, which was originally named American Riviera Orchard. Due to trademark woes, it was renamed “As Ever” in February. Her Netflix show, “With Love, Meghan,” which showcases her love of cooking and entertaining, premiered March 4.
British royals expert Hilary Fordwich slammed Meghan, insisting she’s “using the very royal family name and heritage she wanted to leave” to make her mark as a successful influencer.
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“Who is the target demographic?” Fordwich wondered. “Those with less money couldn’t afford it. … The ‘keepsake packaging’ and aspirational marketing … is out of touch with the average consumer. … It seems inauthentic, and only those with a highly privileged lifestyle, not the mass consumer [would purchase her items].”
The New York Times, which was invited to interview Meghan in her Montecito kitchen, pointed out that many critics have called her Netflix show unrelatable and inauthentic. Meghan told the outlet she put herself back in the spotlight because “I need to work, and I love to work.” She pointed out that, until she met Harry, she hadn’t been without a job since she was 13.
And with two young children to raise, “This is a way I can connect my home life and my work,” she reasoned.
The outlet noted that Meghan and Harry’s production deal with Netflix, which was signed in 2020, ends this year. Their two previous documentaries about polo and Harry’s Invictus Games flopped. Still, the streaming giant is not only an investor in Meghan’s As Ever brand, but new episodes of her show will premiere in the fall.
Meghan also isn’t the first royal to cash in using honey and jam. Buckingham Palace sells Scottish heather honey for $13.09 and Windsor Castle strawberry preserves for $9.17. The king’s Highgrove estate honey is available for $34, and royalists can stock up on organic house marmalade for $10.
And it seems that, with the right name, luxurious food products sell. Vanity Fair pointed out that Flamingo Estate sells honey from the bees at LeBron James’ Bel Air mansion for $250.
“The royal family has their products sold in shops, which can be quite expensive and are meant for commercial consumption,” Ian Pelham Turner told Fox News Digital.
“Meghan is just following royal traditions with her own ‘royal range.’ … We must not forget that, [before her exit], Meghan was instrumental in working with women serving food to those in distress from the Grenfell Tower tragedy, eventually creating a recipe book to raise funds for those who have lost their homes.”
When asked about Meghan naming her dessert Chantilly Lili after her 3-year-old daughter, Pelham Turner responded, “Naming it after Lilibet is a term of endearment by a loving mother to her daughter. … What’s wrong with that?
“Meghan deserves respect, not criticism, for enduring the painful times she has experienced.”
The recipe, which was shared by The New York Times, is said to be “based on a banana pudding recipe by Meghan’s grandmother.”
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Chard said whether viewers love or loathe Meghan, she’s here to stay.
“Many would say that Meghan Markle is ‘cashing in’ and ‘selling out,’” said Chard. “However, she has to make money somehow. … She is determined to make good money, hoping to make billions from the success of her brand. … She firmly believes in herself and is working hard to win over all the nonbelievers.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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