There’s not a single dull day at the Montecito mansion of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle! The ex-royal couple, who relocated to California after pulling off the Megxit in early 2020, have been trying their best to establish their footing in Hollywood financially, with their multiple ventures. Whether it’s a podcast, a lifestyle show, or even a ‘homegrown’ brand – Meghan’s pursuit to earn the much-coveted billionaire status is quite relentless.
However, setbacks don’t quite seem to leave the Sussex Royal’s side either.
After the major legal blow in the security battle case in the UK, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex reportedly started on their journey to separate their paths, professionally – through what they call a ‘professional separation’. And now, it seems like the Duchess of Sussex has hit a rut in her professional endeavors as well!
Where’s ‘As Ever’?
‘As Ever’, the way the Duchess of Sussex likes to call her brand, keeping it in sync with “the essence of her being,” seems to have hit a pause.
Or, is it the end of the road for the short journey of Markle’s homegrown brand?
Turns out, it’s a little more layered than that.
But first off the bat, ‘As Ever’ hasn’t gone anywhere. It’s very much holding up its ‘active’ status. However, after the tremendous success of her initial product launch, followed by an eerie pause, Meghan Markle is updating everyone on her lifestyle brand.
The Duchess of Sussex first introduced her range of cookies, teas, jams, and more in March, which quickly sold out upon its release in April. Since then, there have been no items available for sale. In a recent Instagram update on the As Ever brand account, Meghan expressed her gratitude, stating, "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!"
Interestingly, this announcement comes just hours after the release of a new episode of her Lemonada Media podcast, Confessions of a Female Founder, where Meghan explained her decision to pause the brand before restocking to ensure everything was ‘stable’.
While discussing with guest Tina Knowles about her daughter Beyoncé’s hair care line, ‘Cécred’, Meghan shared that she could relate to the lengthy process Knowles described in scaling up homemade hair products.
When Knowles mentioned, "It takes time with products. You need to test them, and often, you have to completely start over," Meghan responded, "I know, believe me." She conveyed to her guest, "When talking about consumables, even jam, it faces similar restrictions and nuances as those considered by the FDA," recalling the "constant" testing her products were subjected to.
As Meghan recalled about her jam, she said, "You can say, 'Oh, I made this at home'... I'm going, 'I just picked these strawberries, and it's wonderful! Look, I just added a bit of sugar and some Meyer lemon,'" adding, "and as you try to scale it up, you want to manage expectations, but also share what you have worked so hard on."
So, what’s ahead?
Meghan noted that she had planned As Ever "for a year," but everything sold out in just 45 minutes. While she acknowledged the overwhelming success of the product launch was ‘fantastic’, she also contemplated her next steps.
So, what now?
As Meghan stated, "So what do you do? You say, okay. We tried our best to plan."
"Are we going to restock and sell out again in an hour, or will that frustrate customers?" To that question, Meghan mentioned that she is taking some time after the launch, explaining to Knowles, "I’m evaluating it, saying just pause. That happened. Let’s wait until we are entirely stable and we have what we need."
This April, the Duchess of Sussex hinted at a potential expansion of her brand, which aims to introduce seasonal hospitality and home products. She told Inc., "I hope that people see that reflected in whatever I’m creating and releasing. It’s just an extension of me."
The birth of ‘As Ever’:
Meghan founded her lifestyle brand, ‘As Ever’, in 2024. However, originally, it was launched under the name American Riviera Orchard (ARO). The brand was conceived as a reflection of Meghan's personal interests, encompassing food, gardening, entertaining, and thoughtful living. The name "American Riviera Orchard" was inspired by Santa Barbara's nickname, "The American Riviera," where Meghan resides with her family.
In early 2025, Meghan rebranded the company to ‘As Ever’, aiming for a more universal appeal. She explained that the new name, meaning "as it’s always been," better encapsulated her vision for the brand, which extends beyond regional ties to include a broader lifestyle ethos.
In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE in March, Meghan mentioned that launching her own business came with "a lot of twists and turns — even with the name."
She stated, "I was figuring it out in real-time,” and added, “I’m grateful to everyone who allowed me the grace to make mistakes and learn, and to also be forgiving with myself during that process. It’s a learning curve."
‘As Ever’ operates under the umbrella of As Ever Enterprises, LLC, headquartered in Santa Barbara, California. The brand plans to expand its offerings to include seasonal hospitality and home products, aligning with Meghan's personal style and values.
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