Meghan Markle's daily earnings from her lifestyle brand As Ever have been estimated at roughly £1,900, a figure that has drawn sharp criticism from a royal commentator. The estimate was discussed on the Daily Express Royals Unscripted podcast after the Duchess of Sussex pledged a day's worth of takings from the brand to Malala Yousafzai's charity, Malala Fund.
Columnist calls sum 'piddling'
Columnist Carole Malone described the estimated amount as a "piddling amount of money". She noted that Meghan's representatives have not confirmed the figure and have not provided precise daily sales figures, but added that available data suggests the estimate could be accurate.
Malone said on the podcast: "Her people will not give us the precise figures as to what a day's takings are. They're saying they're not available. But the data that is available suggests that it could be about £1,900 and her people aren't denying that amount. What a piddling amount of money."
Donation pledge and outfit scrutiny
Meghan announced she would donate a day's takings from As Ever to Malala Fund, an organisation that works to advance girls' education around the world. Malone compared the estimated sum to the cost of Meghan's outfit at her meeting with the Nobel Peace Prize winner outside Claridge's in London last week, saying it was "not even as much as the pair of trousers she was wearing".
The full outfit, including a £7,000 Chanel bag, was estimated to cost around £28,000. Malone questioned why the Duchess had not publicly specified the value of the donation, saying: "She didn't say, 'Oh, I'm going to donate £100,000'." She added that the public had no way of knowing exactly how much the charity would receive.
Broader commercial context
The podcast discussion also touched on the Sussexes' previous commercial ventures, including their reported multi-million-pound deals with Netflix and Spotify, as well as Prince Harry's memoir, Spare. Malone said the meeting had done more to benefit Meghan's public image than Malala's charity, while royal editor Emily Ferguson noted that the Duchess was quick to promote the meeting on Instagram.
The comments come as Meghan and Harry return to the spotlight with joint engagements in Nottingham, marking another public appearance by the couple in the UK. Their return comes amid continued scrutiny of their relationship with the Royal Family, including speculation over their Christmas plans and the couple's long-running concerns about security in Britain.
Meghan is also preparing to expand As Ever into the British market, bringing renewed attention to the brand's commercial performance. The Daily Express has approached the As Ever team for a comment.
