Buckingham Palace has unveiled a £12 Royal Collection Trust advent calendar, a stark contrast to Meghan Markle's £112 As Ever luxury countdown, exposing two incompatible worlds of royalty.
The Duchess of Sussex's lifestyle brand, As Ever, launched a limited-edition advent calendar created with LA chocolatier Compartés. Priced at £112, it features an illustration of her £11million Montecito mansion, fruit marmalade ganache, and countdown numbers in "Meghan's own penmanship."
In contrast, Buckingham Palace's Royal Collection Trust calendar is a 24-piece chocolate box that "captures the magic of the festive season" at Windsor Castle and Holyroodhouse, complete with ceremonial guardsmen and a crown-topped tree. It comes in at £100 cheaper than Meghan's offering.
Palace Offers Accessible Alternatives
While £12 is still a step up from a standard £3 supermarket Cadbury calendar, it represents a reasonable entry point for families seeking royal tradition without excessive cost, according to the opinion piece by Emily Wright.
The Palace also introduced a £25 unfilled, reusable winter-illustrated calendar. This customisable option lets families fill drawers with individual surprises, from £5 Buckingham Palace chocolate coins to £7 Balmoral honey, or budget-friendly supermarket alternatives and personal treats.
Contrasting Visions of Royalty
King Charles demonstrated a monarch attuned to everyday households, making Meghan's gold-dusted offering appear tone-deaf, the article argues. The Royal Collection Trust's proceeds go directly toward preserving historic palaces and art for future generations.
Meghan's promotional campaign featured slick videos of copper saucepans and golf cart rides set to Michael Bublé. The Palace's approach is grounded, inclusive, and rooted in tradition, offering a genuine invitation for families to share Christmas magic during the cost-of-living crisis.
True royal connection is about service, inclusivity, and maintaining a relatable bond with the public, not custom penmanship or £100 markups, the piece concludes.
