Buckingham Palace has unveiled its new advent calendar, priced from £25, significantly cheaper than Meghan Markle's Montecito mansion-inspired version, which costs £112. The duchess's calendar is also only available in the US, according to reports.
Meghan's commercial ventures under scrutiny
Meghan Markle has faced repeated accusations of focusing on making money, particularly through her lifestyle brand As Ever and her attempts to remain prominent on screens and podcast feeds via Netflix and Spotify. During a visit to Australia, she was criticised over VIP tickets for a 300-person event at the five-star InterContinental Coogee Beach hotel, which included a group photo with her, priced at £1,675 each.
She also made a surprise appearance as a judge on Australian MasterChef and invested in AI-powered fashion discovery platform OneOff, with her own page for fans to shop her wardrobe. She and Prince Harry are now back in the UK after their attempt to carve out a life as "public figures" overseas appeared to have failed.
Palace calendar seen as a contrast
As Ever's announcement read: "The season of giving is almost here, and we have a few surprises in store." The palace's more affordable calendar is seen as a contrast to Meghan's higher-priced offering, with the royal family's version providing fans with a cheaper way to count down to Christmas.
The development has been described as humiliating for Meghan, with the smaller detail of the price difference said to say rather a lot.
