When she's not navigating the skies, American airline pilot Rachel Maxwell has carved out a unique side hustle on the ground: creating satirical lifestyle products that take a playful swipe at the commercial ventures of Meghan, Duchess of Sussex.
From Cockpit to Commerce: The Birth of a Satirical Brand
The 36-year-old aviator is the founder of 'Montecito Minimalist', a website offering cosy-seeming homeware and apparel that bears a striking, and deliberately ironic, resemblance to Meghan's own 'As Ever' lifestyle range. Items include £23 candles, £10 mugs, £20 sweaters, and £16 tote bags. However, the slogans emblazoned on Rachel's products reveal a sharper, more pointed sense of humour.
Phrases such as 'No Titles, Just Taste', 'Burnt Bridges and Backpedaling', 'Privacy and Paparazzi', and 'Let Them Eat Flower Sprinkles' offer a tongue-in-cheek commentary on the Sussexes' post-royal life in California. Another popular design, 'Keep Calm And Mind The Spare', merges the iconic British wartime motto with a reference to Prince Harry's memoir.
'Recollections May Vary': The Bestseller Inspired by the Queen
Arguably the brand's standout product line features the phrase 'Recollections May Vary'. This was the famously restrained response from the late Queen Elizabeth II following Prince Harry and Meghan's 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey, in which they alleged racism within the royal family. Maxwell described this particular slogan to the Daily Mail as a powerful statement, noting its success is partly due to 'what it doesn't say'.
The product descriptions continue the satirical theme. The 'Recollections May Vary' candle is marketed 'for those moments when the lighting is soft, the camera is rolling, and the truth is... flexible'. Meanwhile, the 'Burnt Bridges and Backpedaling' candle promises 'a rich blend of contradictions, rebranding, and strategic victimhood'.
'A Cheeky Experiment', Not Malice
Rachel Maxwell insists her venture stems from fun, not personal animosity. She described the brand to the Daily Mail as 'a cheeky, satirical brand based off of a certain someone who lives in Montecito'. The website prominently states its products are 'real but the intent is purely satirical and not affiliated with any individuals, institutions, or royally dramatic memoirs'.
Her inspiration came from observing the boom in online lifestyle brands and wondering if she could create her own humorous version. 'I bought a domain for $11 and a shop trial, a month for a buck,' she explained. 'It started off as a creative outlet, but when I began selling to customers in Singapore and Dubai I realised the collective eyeroll wasn't just by Americans and Brits - it was global.'
Maxwell, who grew up in southern California and now lives in Hawaii, admits to a fascination with British royalty since visiting London with her mother in the 1990s. She expressed complex feelings about the Sussex narrative, questioning the disconnect when influential figures in mansions seek public sympathy. 'I want to be anti-pretension in an ironic way,' she stated.
While Meghan's brand is a clear muse, other celebrities are gently mocked. A candle labelled 'Smells Like: Todger and Night Cream' is a clear nod to Gwyneth Paltrow's infamous 'This Smells Like My Vagina' candle.
Juggling Jets and Jibes
Rachel Maxwell balances her design sideline with a full-time career in aviation. She worked as a flight attendant for a decade before training as a pilot and has been flying professionally since 2019. Her brand's success has been a surprise, evolving from a creative hobby into an international enterprise that resonates with a global audience familiar with the Sussex saga.
The launch of her satirical shop coincides with Meghan's own foray into lifestyle commerce. The Duchess's 'As Ever' brand, promoted heavily in her Netflix series With Love, Meghan, sells products like raspberry jam and flower sprinkles. The Sussexes' lucrative Netflix deal, signed after their 2020 step back from royal duties, was reported to be worth over $100 million, though analysts recently suggested their new agreement with the streamer might be a 'downgrade'.
For Rachel Maxwell, 'Montecito Minimalist' remains a light-hearted project. 'It doesn't come from a place of cruelty,' she affirmed. 'Instead meant to be fun, light-hearted, letting people be in on the joke. It's a bit of catharsis.'
