The Duchess of Sussex is facing a "crisis" as she prepares for a summer visit to the UK with Prince Harry and their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, according to royal author Ingrid Seward. The trip, planned for next month ahead of the 2027 Invictus Games in Birmingham, comes at a critical time for Meghan's lifestyle brand As Ever, which has faced scrutiny over its sales and viability.
Meghan's business needs royal stardust
Speaking exclusively to the Mirror, Seward said: "They need to come, or more accurately, Meghan needs to come. She really needs a bit of royal stardust sprinkled on her and her business if she wants it to succeed. She's probably hoping a visit to the UK would give her that, so she has to make it work somehow." Seward added that the visit "leaves her with a bit of a crisis because coming to a country where she is so disliked won't be easy."
Recent reports have suggested Meghan's popularity among Americans fell in the first three months of this year, and visits to her As Ever online shop also dipped. Page Six claimed she could be "facing a $5 million jam" if she fails to sell her jams, teas, and flower sprinkles before they expire at the end of next summer. However, a Sussex spokesperson dismissed these claims as "entirely false and based on speculation," stating that As Ever continues to grow with "a strong customer community and an exciting pipeline of future products."
Royal relationships and brand building
According to Seward, Meghan's business success is tied to her relationship with the royal family. "The business and her relationships with the royal family are sort of symbiotic," she explained. "Her branding is built on a Hollywood idea of royalty, it's regal by Hollywood standards. It's also a sort of influencer brand, so she needs to be an influencer with royal connections. She can't be that unless she has some sort of relationship, ideally a good one, with the royal family."
Seward also highlighted the challenge of changing public perception in the UK, where many still "blame her for everything that's gone wrong with Harry and his family." She said: "I don't know how she'll turn it around, because a lot of people feel that way. Coming here and facing that will be a challenge, but the last thing she wants is more rumours that she and Harry are getting divorced, if he were to come alone. She knows she's under fire and the 'under fire' image isn't good for her brand."
Harry's relationship with King Charles
The visit also reignites questions about Prince Harry's relationship with his father, King Charles. Harry's last in-person meeting with the King occurred in September last year at Clarence House, lasting 54 minutes. Afterwards, details were allegedly leaked claiming the atmosphere was "distinctly formal," but Harry's team called this "categorically false" and blamed "sources intent on sabotaging" the reunion.
Seward noted that arranging a meeting with the King requires meticulous planning due to his tightly scheduled days. "Arranging a last-minute visit and hoping to see King Charles would be a risk," she said. "His days are ordered down to the second, which is why he values his time off so greatly. So if Harry, with or without his family, is hoping for more than 54 minutes, it will need to be very carefully planned as early as possible." She added: "I'm sure the King would love to see and get to know Harry's children. He loves spending time with the younger generations of the family, we saw that at Trooping the Colour, and he's always especially sweet with Prince Louis. It would be lovely for him to have that opportunity and time with Harry's children too."
