Latest news with #Montecito-based
Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Meghan Markle 'still sees herself as royal' as she's 'hit hard' by devastating backlash
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have faced more backlash during what should've been a week of celebrations, and a royal expert predicts the storm isn't over Prince Harry and Meghan's latest attempt to 'build bridges and move on' has backfired, a leading royal expert tells new. The pair sparked another backlash after Meghan was accused of turning last week's celebrations for her 44th birthday into a PR stunt, while Harry, 40, was accused of allowing a 'damaging' dispute to play out publicly in the fall-out at the charity he set up in memory of his late mum, Princess Diana. Former royal editor Duncan Larcombe says that despite the Sussexes' best efforts to repair their reputations with the help of high-profile publicists, they seem unable to escape the bad press. 'Everything Meghan does seems to attract negativity, particularly in the UK,' Duncan tells us. 'There seems to be two versions of her; one in America and one here, where she seems to be universally disliked. It comes after reports Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are set for new 'goldmine' offer - but could face issue. 'She's a very emotional person and takes things personally, so it probably feels like she can't do anything right a lot of the time. She was heavily criticised for some of her recent videos, and when she goes quiet, she's criticised for that, too.' That was certainly the case when the account of her lifestyle brand, As Ever, posted a birthday tribute to her. Alongside a snap of the duchess was the caption, 'Celebrating the woman behind it all. She pours her heart, vision & magic touch into every detail, and today, we raise a glass to her! Happy birthday to our founder @meghan.' While comments on the post were switched off, some unimpressed followers took to X with comments like, 'Meghan runs that account herself, yet here she is talking to herself in the third person.' Another accused Meghan of 'sending her friends a script' and that everything was 'brand controlled' following congratulatory posts from pals like actresses Kerry Washington and Abigail Spencer, another former Suits star. Duncan says the backlash would have hit Montecito-based Meghan hard. 'She sees herself as a very positive, upbeat person, but the negativity happens every time because she's lost her credibility,' he says. 'She's a self-publicist, and that doesn't go down well with the British public. In her mind, she's a royal, but she isn't in terms of toeing the line. So yes, she's making a success of her business, selling lots of jams and bottles of wine, but it's coming at a cost because she's seen as cashing in on being a royal.' On her personal Instagram account, @meghan, she posted a photo of herself at swanky LA restaurant Funke, where she celebrated with a cake. She wrote, 'Blowing out the candles on a beautiful 24 hours, and thanking my husband, friends and family for making it so special. To those of you I don't know, but who send love every day – thank you so much. Please know I feel it and appreciate it.' Comments were switched off, but the image led to similar criticism on other platforms. Harry also found himself back in the spotlight following the release of a report into what went down at his African charity, Sentebale, which he set up in 2006 in memory of his late mum. He resigned earlier this year from the board of trustees after a series of boardroom squabbles became public knowledge, with Harry accused of being a 'toxic brand', and its chair, Sophie Chandauka, saying she was subjected to people 'playing the victim card' after he stepped back. The UK's Charity Commission called the fallout 'deeply damaging' in its investigation report last week, writing: 'Sentebale's problems played out in the public eye, enabling a damaging dispute to harm the charity's reputation, risk[ing] overshadowing its many achievements, and jeopardising the charity's ability to deliver for the very beneficiaries it was created to serve.' According to Duncan, the episode raises more questions about Harry's public role, says Duncan. 'It's embarrassing for him to be told he damaged the charity's reputation and risked its good work. It was a cause he cared about but, by letting it play out so publicly, it backfired. He'll probably be incredibly angry and hurt that it's added fuel to an already burning fire.' The latest dramas come just weeks after Harry and Meghan's new PR team held talks with King Charles 's aides ahead of Harry's trip to the UK next month. Duncan says there are clear signs the couple want to change perceptions of them – but it could be too late. 'They're on a charm offensive and have employed people to help improve their image, and show they're trying to build bridges and move on. It's very much to make them appear like good guys who are trying to make friends, but I think they're doing it far too late.'
Indian Express
30-07-2025
- Business
- Indian Express
Meghan Markle could be making millions a week; experts reveal the one product that might turn into a goldmine
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry may be swimming in bankruptcy rumours, but a fresh Newsweek analysis of their lifestyle business paints a different picture. Markle's online shop, As Ever, is flying off the virtual shelves, from $9 teas to $30 bottles of wine, the products barely stay in stock. If she wanted, she could be pocketing millions just by scaling up supply. Also read: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to handle Netflix crisis Obama-style as bankruptcy rumours grow; new projects in pipeline Though Netflix hasn't confirmed anything yet, there's been a lot of noise around the streamer not renewing the $100 million deal with the Montecito-based royals, especially after the couple's recent content setbacks. Meghan Markle, meanwhile, dropped her lifestyle brand As Ever back in April, and it started making noise from day one, even with the early backlash over trademark issues. Her top sellers $9 raspberry jams, $11 pancake and cookie mixes, and a $30 Napa Valley rosé, everything's been vanishing off shelves within minutes of each drop. After her first batch sold out in April, she followed it up with a second drop in June, and then amped things up with a wine launch on July 1, which went out of stock in no time. Behind the scenes, the couple had been building hype for months, quietly sending curated boxes to Hollywood A-listers and influencers. Newsweek dug into the numbers and found As Ever pulled in half a million page views during the second launch. If every visitor had grabbed just one jar of $9 jam, that's $4.5 million in a week. Realistically, not everyone buys, but even if a chunk did, and some splurged on $28 honey or $90 wine sets, the math still adds up to millions. Also read: Meghan Markle shares rare family photos in sweet tribute to Prince Harry on wedding anniversary However, a few things are still holding back Meghan's profits. Her team is keeping every drop limited and seasonal, which means she's cashing in only a fraction of what she could if supply actually met demand. And that $4.5 million is before cutting out costs (production, packaging, shipping, staff, marketing), and whatever's left has to be split with Netflix, which holds a stake in the brand. While Meghan wants to keep things exclusive, some experts warn that items like edible flower sprinkles ($15 for a tiny 0.18-ounce tin) and jams might come off more as novelty buys than essentials. People might try them once for curiosity, but they're not necessarily coming back. That said, brand analyst Nick Ede believes Meghan's real shot at building something lasting lies in wine. If she nails the next launch and manages to get bottles into global retail instead of just selling online, it could mean regular buyers, repeat orders, and real profits. She's currently planning to drop a sparkling wine later this summer, and if she gets that one right, it could be a game-changer for As Ever. Meanwhile, Prince Harry may be extending an olive branch to the Royal Family, but insiders say don't expect him to start playing by Buckingham Palace's rules anytime soon. A couple of weeks ago, his PR team was seen in London meeting with King Charles' chief of communications, fueling hope that the Sussexes, after failing to have it their way in America, might finally be ready to come back home. But a source close to the couple says Harry still doesn't like being 'controlled by the royal machinery', and that's unlikely to change.'
The Star
01-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Star
'Authentic?' Netflix, not Meghan Markle, makes her jam, report says
For all of Meghan Markle's talk about being 'authentic' by publicising her viral pregnancy twerking video or demanding that people 'tell the truth' about her, a recent report raises questions about whether she's being straightforward about what's going on with her embattled As Ever lifestyle brand and whether she's selling jam, tea and other food products that align with current culinary ideas about what's 'authentic.' Speaking of those products, the Montecito-based Duchess of Sussex has announced that 'favourite' items and 'surprises' would go on sale again after she saw the first collection quickly sell out in early April. But potential customers might be interested to learn from a new report on who's actually responsible for creating Meghan's 'faux-country' As Ever's products — and it's not Meghan. Puck business writer Rachel Strugatz reported earlier this month that Netflix, the global, US$500bil company that streams movies, sports, games and TV shows — including Meghan's With Love, Meghan lifestyle show — oversees the manufacture of her US$14 jars of 'raspberry spread,' as well as of her honey, tea, cookie mixes and edible, dried-flower sprinkles. Of course, most people who managed to score some of Meghan's raspberry spread probably didn't think that the raspberries actually came from her and Prince Harry's Montecito garden. They also probably expect that Meghan, like other celebrity entrepreneurs, hires others to produce the goods carrying her brand name. The marketing copy on the As Ever website admitted as much, though the copy also tried to make it sound as though Meghan remained intimately involved with making her 'signature' berry spread, with its 'hint of lemon.' The copy said the product being sold was 'inspired' by a recipe that Meghan 'crafted in her home kitchen,' while the former TV actor told Fast Company in late May that she has a 'team' that works closely with 'a team' at Netflix. As Strugatz noted, this Netflix 'team' also is responsible for mass-producing packaged consumer goods that are tied to some of the streamer's other shows, including Bridgerton, Stranger Things and Squid Game . The sale of these goods through Netflix's online shop represents the streamer's 'opportunistic attempt' to cash in on these shows' popularity, Strugatz said, Meghan told Fast Company that her 'team' is 'on calls daily, working through product development, SKUs, and inventory.' She also said: 'We have a field trip tomorrow to look at different manufacturers and suppliers as we expand the brand.' But Strugatz's reporting told a somewhat different story. Bottom line: As Ever would not exist without Netflix, if only because Netflix is funding Meghan's venture, as the duchess herself told Fast Company. But Strugatz also said that Meghan doesn't employ her own team to develop her 'sad mix of white-label products.' 'She's not building a lifestyle empire,' an insider told Strugatz. 'There's no one that works for the brand. She's outsourced the entire brand to Netflix. They send samples and she picks what she likes.' Another insider, familiar with the partnership, countered that Meghan is trying to build 'a dedicated internal team' to support As Ever's growth, Strugatz reported. Still, whether or not Meghan actually meets with suppliers or works closely on developing the recipes and managing inventory, her attempts to attach a home-grown authenticity to her products aren't entirely convincing. The news that a Netflix team may be sourcing the ingredients or directing a factory to make Meghan's jam or her brand's US$18 honey tends to erode any sense of authenticity. It's also not likely that Meghan and As Ever could ever say that their ingredients are 'locally sourced,' something consumers can count on if they buy more affordable and fresh-tasting jam from a stand at their hometown farmers market. In the culinary context, authenticity usually refers to food that's not processed but 'real' and 'natural' and associated with a designated place and made with ingredients from that place. Moreover, it's curious that Meghan's raspberry spread, as presented on the website, comes with a familiar product label that purports to list 'ingredients.' But this label in fact lists no ingredients — just information about calories and percentages of fat, sodium or sugar per serving. With no ingredients listed, it's impossible to know whether the spread was made with actual, fresh raspberries, much less whether it contains certain kinds of sugar or preservatives. Similarly, the 'ingredients' labels for the As Ever crepe and shortbread-cookie mixes lack information about actual ingredients. In her report, Strugatz cited other issues bedeviling Meghan's brand. For one thing, Meghan's future plans for As Ever 'remain unclear.' Up until now, she offered conflicting stories about when new products would be available again. On her podcast, Confessions Of A Female Founder, she said her company was on 'pause' and she told Fast Company that she would not announce the release of new products until the first quarter of 2026, as she said she was shifting her focus to 'the hospitality angle.' One person who knows Meghan 'intimately' told Strugatz that 'the haphazard' rollout of the As Ever brand was simply 'the Sussex way.' And while Meghan and her fans claimed that her products were so popular that they sold out within 45 minutes of going on sale, Strugatz said she was told that creating a product 'scarcity' was always part of the plan; Meghan wanted everything to sell out within a day 'to create the illusion of demand.' Either that, or too few units were produced. Strugatz questions whether the products were hastily created to capitalise on the March premiere of the first season of Meghan's eight-episode Netflix series. It's also well known that Meghan ran into copyright problems with the original name for her brand — American Riviera Orchard — and seemed to come up with As Ever at the last minute. Everything about As Ever 'reads like a lazy, short-term solution to get something out there and into customers' hands,' Strugatz said. 'It includes little of the vision or personality of Goop, or Martha Stewart, or the other lifestyle brands that Meghan had delusions of building. Indeed, it maps the Sussex way — not fully thought out, hastily executed, prone to pivot.' – The Mercury News/Tribune News Service
West Australian
18-06-2025
- Entertainment
- West Australian
‘Desperate' reason Prince Harry is OK with Meghan splashing Lilibet and Archie on social media
In the past they've ferociously protected their children's privacy by keeping them out of the public eye, but there's been a sudden and significant change in Prince Harry and Meghan's approach recently and one insider says they know why. The Duchess of Sussex has ramped up Lilibet, 4, and big brother Archie's, 6, appearances on her Instagram page, freely posting happy family snaps on social media. And while cynical observers note that it coincides with her pushing her business interests in her As Ever brand in the same forum, an insider has offered another, sadder motive. 'Harry is completely heartbroken,' an insider close to the family has told Daily Mail . 'His dad refuses to see him or the kids — not even on Zoom... It's a last resort. 'He's desperately hoping the King might see a picture of Archie or Lilibet and realise what he's missing. 'He's tried everything - calls, letters... But nothing's worked. This is his way of saying, 'Look at what you're missing'.' Meghan has used a number of recent milestones to share intimate, previously unseen photos and videos of the Montecito-based royals' family life. To celebrate Lilibet's birthday, Meghan posted several family cherished shots, including a throwback video of herself twerking to the song Baby Momma in a bid to bring on labour while pregnant with the princess, while another post featured a black and white snap of her cuddling Lili. In one clip for Father's Day, Harry was seen dancing joyfully in the kitchen with toddler Archie, while another captured him sharing laughs during story time with his son. And in another particularly tender moment, both children were seen showering their dad with kisses while playing on a backyard swing. During a recent appearance on Emma Gredge's Aspire podcast, Meghan explained her motivation for sharing more with her followers. 'Did you see my 'Baby Momma' dance? That was four years ago... I'm just grateful that now, being back on social... I can share it on my own terms.' Prince Harry remains publicly estranged from senior members of the royal family including King Charles and Prince William but has expressed a desire to reconcile. In a May interview he told the BBC, 'There have been so many disagreements between me and some of my family… Of course, they will never forgive me for lots of things but… there's no point in continuing to fight anymore.' 'Life is precious. I don't know how much longer my father has,' he added. 'He won't speak to me because of this security stuff. It would be nice to reconcile.'
Perth Now
18-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
‘Desperate' reason Harry wants Meghan to share private pics
In the past they've ferociously protected their children's privacy by keeping them out of the public eye, but there's been a sudden and significant change in Prince Harry and Meghan's approach recently and one insider says they know why. The Duchess of Sussex has ramped up Lilibet, 4, and big brother Archie's, 6, appearances on her Instagram page, freely posting happy family snaps on social media. And while cynical observers note that it coincides with her pushing her business interests in her As Ever brand in the same forum, an insider has offered another, sadder motive. 'Harry is completely heartbroken,' an insider close to the family has told Daily Mail. 'His dad refuses to see him or the kids — not even on Zoom... It's a last resort. 'He's desperately hoping the King might see a picture of Archie or Lilibet and realise what he's missing. 'He's tried everything - calls, letters... But nothing's worked. This is his way of saying, 'Look at what you're missing'.' Meghan Markle posts a sweet Father's Day video tribute to Prince Harry. Credit: Meghan Markle / Instagram Meghan has used a number of recent milestones to share intimate, previously unseen photos and videos of the Montecito-based royals' family life. To celebrate Lilibet's birthday, Meghan posted several family cherished shots, including a throwback video of herself twerking to the song Baby Momma in a bid to bring on labour while pregnant with the princess, while another post featured a black and white snap of her cuddling Lili. The Duchess of Sussex posted this picture of the family's recent visit to Disneyland to celebrate their daughter Lillibet's fourth birthday. Credit: Unknown / Instagram In one clip for Father's Day, Harry was seen dancing joyfully in the kitchen with toddler Archie, while another captured him sharing laughs during story time with his son. And in another particularly tender moment, both children were seen showering their dad with kisses while playing on a backyard swing. During a recent appearance on Emma Gredge's Aspire podcast, Meghan explained her motivation for sharing more with her followers. 'Did you see my 'Baby Momma' dance? That was four years ago... I'm just grateful that now, being back on social... I can share it on my own terms.' Prince Harry remains publicly estranged from senior members of the royal family including King Charles and Prince William but has expressed a desire to reconcile. In a May interview he told the BBC, 'There have been so many disagreements between me and some of my family… Of course, they will never forgive me for lots of things but… there's no point in continuing to fight anymore.' 'Life is precious. I don't know how much longer my father has,' he added. 'He won't speak to me because of this security stuff. It would be nice to reconcile.'
