FICKLE Meghan Markle has to keep reinventing herself while clinging to her royal links – and she is shamelessly using her kids for clout, an expert claims.
The Duchess of Sussex announced a shock name change for her American Rivera Orchard lifestyle brand today.
Meghan and Prince Harry during Invictus Games in Vancouver last week[/caption]
Announced less than a year ago, the project is now called As Ever, ahead of its official launch to tie in with new Netflix cookery show With Love, Meghan next month.
In her Instagram announcement, the duchess, 43, said the change meant she was no longer “limited” to selling products from the part of Santa Barbara where she grew up.
But she failed to touch on the trademark issues that have dogged the launch, with officials saying she cannot have exclusive rights to “American Rivera” going forward.
Royal author Hugo Vickers told The Sun: “I think there’s a lot of sort of jumping in and then rethinking.”
He said this reflects much of the ventures Meghan and Harry, 40, have undertaken since stepping down as working royals in 2020.
“It’s always this sort of rebranding of themselves, and reinventing themselves so that they’re always in view of the public…” he explained.
“It does all seem a little bit…how do you put it? Incredibly commercial. It’s obviously aimed at marketing. But from what I read, all this has happened quite suddenly.
“There’s lots of applications being put in and things being registered, and so forth. I think it’s all a little bit sort of done on the hoof, to be honest.”
Today’s rebrand announcement video – filmed presumably in the Sussexes’ garden in Montecito – features Harry’s voice playfully telling his wife at the start “it’s recording” before she giggles.
Mr Vickers, pointing out the duke also featured briefly in the brand’s introductory video, said he’s still essentially the main draw.
“I was going to say ‘product placing’, but ‘Meghan placing’, I mean, we watch her because she’s married to Prince Harry,” he said.
“That’s the reason we watch her, and really the only reason, to be quite honest.”
He added: “I rather wonder what will happen if ever the day comes when she doesn’t need him. But that’s all in the future.
“I’ve said this a million times, but that is why we watch them – because he is Prince Harry…he’s put her on the map.
“She was quite well known before she got involved with him. But she’s extremely well known as a result of having married Prince Harry. That’s what it’s all about.”
The As Ever website also features a rare photo of their daughter Lilibet, and Mr Vickers said this, unfortunately, feels like a commercial decision as well.
“I’m personally rather against people using their children for advertising purposes, especially when their children are officially members of the Royal Family,” he said.
“They’ve been given princely titles. So, once again it’s exploiting the royal side, and also…we don’t often see the children. In fact, do we ever see them full on?
“We see the back of the head, occasionally, or we see a hand, or we see something. It’s all rather tantalising.
“It’s been like that right since the start. So I suppose that when they do appear it’s like gosh, there they are, they exist.”
Meghan mentions her now-defunct lifestyle blog the Tig – and those who read it in her years before she became a royal – in her Instagram post.
Asked if she would prefer to have found another way to reach her current level of fame, without having had to join and leave the Firm, Mr Vickers was not so sure.
He said: “I think the royal issues were always a part of it, part of her plan.
“I’ve always thought that what she’s seeking is a kind of global recognition which she certainly got based on the fact that she married Prince Harry.”
He said she had a decent platform before as a Hollywood actress, particularly due to the popularity of legal drama Suits, and had been involved in humanitarian efforts prior to being a royal.
But that next step has “ramped it all up”, he said, adding that it’s a shame Meghan and Harry couldn’t have seen the value working within the Firm to get their messages across.
“But she’s moving forward into an area in which she’s probably much more comfortable than she ever was in royal life,” Mr Vickers continued. “I think she’s fairly unstoppable.”
He went on to say: “As anyone knows in public life, what you have to do is just keep going, and she’s certainly good at that.
“I mean nothing stops her, does it? If something goes wrong, she rebrands it and has another try. Well, you know, that’s commendable, actually – that’s what she should do.”
A rep for the Sussexes declined to comment when approached by the Sun.
What do we know about Meghan Markle’s new cooking show, With Love, Meghan?
MEGHAN Markle’s new Netflix documentary trailer shows her cooking with Hollywood pals.
The Duchess of Sussex gave fans an insight into her show, With Love, Meghan, which airs on January 15.
There will be eight 33 minute episodes featuring a host of Meg’s various Hollywood friends trying her simple, yet “elevated”, food.
A montage of various clips in the nearly two minute video showed Meghan walking through vegetable patches and fields.
She was also filmed browsing through florists hand selecting beautiful flowers for table arrangements, showing off her creative side.
The Duchess even tried her hand at beekeeping, fully suited up, as she collected honey.
In the exciting new trailer, Meghan shared: “I’ve always loved taking something pretty ordinary and elevating it.
“Surprising people with moments that let them know I was really thinking of them.
“I’m going to share some little tips and tricks. I see what colour I gravitate to, and everything goes from there. And how you incorporate these practices every day.
“This is about connecting with friends.. I love that we’re doing this together for the first time. Making new friends.. and just learning.
“We’re not in the pursuit of perfection. We’re in the pursuit of joy. I have to get it totally wrong, to get it totally right.”
The trailer showcased many “candid” moments, from Meghan accidentally squeezing some lemon juice in her eye, to knocking freshly baked goodies off a plate.
Prince Harry featured at the end of the video, embracing his wife in a warm hug.
