Meghan Markle has come under fire from royal fans after unveiling her latest collaboration for her lifestyle brand, As Ever. The Duchess of Sussex expressed being "thrilled" about the new partnership, but followers were far from impressed.
New Collaboration Details
The As Ever brand teased the new launch on Monday with a social media reel, before the product hit virtual shelves on Tuesday. The offering is a matcha set created in collaboration with Clevr Blends, a vegan coffee brand known for its probiotic and adaptogen-packed beverages. The set includes As Ever's strawberry spread and flower sprinkles, priced at £47 ($56).
Meghan, who serves as an adviser and investor for Clevr Blends, previously appeared in a cameo for the company's advertising campaign in 2023. The brand was founded in 2018 by Hannah Mendoza and Roger Coppola.
Announcement and Reaction
Announcing the collaboration on Instagram, As Ever wrote: "Introducing the Strawberry Matcha Set. A celebration of summer mornings. Strawberry Spread, Flower Sprinkles and Clevr Matcha SuperLatte come together in a trio that's bright, fragrant, and full of simple pleasures."
Meghan shared a story on her Instagram account, stating: "I've proudly supported Hannah and @clevrblends for so many years now. Thrilled about this new collaboration with one of my favourite gals and two of my favourite brands."
However, fans were unimpressed, noting that the bundle merely combined an already available As Ever product with Clevr Blends items, rather than introducing something new.
Fan Criticism
One user on X wrote: "#asever and the collabs-is #MeghanMarkle just never coming out with new products and going to ride off the backs of other brands? Now it's Clevr Blends (of which she's an investor) and a Matcha bundle. You get a bag of matcha latte blend, strawberry spread and flower sprinkles for $56 bucks, and there's no discount for bundling as usual. The Matcha is $29, spread $12, and flower sprinkles $15."
Another commented: "Another brand to be Markled - so sorry for your loss." A third opined: "For a drink that gives you energy and focus, she seems to have neither." A fourth said: "She is terrible at business. Just awful." A fifth added: "Desperate and it looks awful!"
Despite the backlash, Ms Mendoza celebrated the launch, posting: "Nothing compares to having ba***s women in your life that lift you up, especially on the WILD journey of building a brand. Our #AsEverbyMeghan collab is officially live!"
