Royal Experts Say Meghan Markle Refuses to ‘Take Orders’ In Her Business: ‘This Is a Woman Who…’
Meghan Markle’s new lifestyle brand, As Ever, has sparked quite the debate among royal experts since it was first launched last year. Originally introduced as American Riviera Orchard in 2024, the brand was revamped to As Ever in 2025, to better reflect Markle’s vision of home and living. After most of its products, including some limited collections, sold out within an hour of launch, fans are eagerly waiting for a restock. However, Markle recently shared that she wouldn't be restocking it until next year. In light of the same, a royal expert has suggested that the lack of clarity about the next launch reflects one specific characteristic of Markle — she does not ‘take orders’ from anyone while running the business.
Royal experts Charles Rae and Sarah Hewson recently discussed the potential future of As Ever during their conversation with The Sun. Rae said, "I'm not a businessman, but I would have thought that if you were setting up a new company, you would have enough products on the shelves or whatever is kept to satisfy the demand.” While the heavy pricing of her jam and honey has drawn a lot of criticism, experts blame Markle for most of the brand's unclear future.
Rae said, “My view is that it is mainly, I would say, 90 per cent Meghan who's running the show [sic]. Because this is a woman who does not want to take orders from anybody.” Hewson chimed in to agree with her fellow expert, suggesting that the brand’s planning seems to be chaotic. She said, “She doesn't want to let go. And I guess, you know, she is putting her name to it. But yes, it has been chaotic.”
Following the first launch, Markle has reportedly created a lot of confusion around what she has planned for her brand. She told Fast Company that she wants to analyze the data from the first launch to figure out what she wants for As Ever and accordingly restock the products next year. She explained, "I want to really focus on the hospitality angle of As Ever, but as we take the learnings, we can understand what the customer’s needs are seasonally." Amid the criticism surrounding the delay in restocking, Markle on her podcast, Confessions of a Female Founder, shared that she had in fact planned her first stock for a year. Much to her surprise, they were out of stock within 45 minutes.
Although the future of As Ever is clouded in uncertainty, Markle may have something lined up for her fans after all. In a recent update, As Ever’s official social media handle shared a picture of freshly cut berries, confirming that the upcoming line will feature some new products. The post’s caption read, “To all who've been wondering and waiting, thank you! Your favorites are returning, plus a few NEW things we can't wait to show you. Coming this month...get excited!"