Meghan Markle is set to separate her Netflix show and her brand merchandise after a timing clash, according to a royal insider.
The Duchess of Sussex will launch her new Netflix series “With Love, Meghan” on March 4, coinciding with the debut of her rebranded lifestyle range “As Ever”.
Sources who have previewed the series indicate it will showcase Meghan’s entertaining and cooking expertise.
However, despite featuring products similar to her upcoming merchandise line, the Netflix series will make no mention of the official items being available for purchase, sources told the Mail.
Meghan Markle set to separate Netflix show and brand merch after timing clash
Getty
The apparent disconnect between the show’s content and product promotion has raised questions about strategic planning.
Industry sources suggest the timing mismatch may stem from the show’s production schedule last spring when Meghan had not yet begun manufacturing merchandise.
The production timeline also predated Netflix’s involvement in the brand partnership, which has since been accepted by the Duchess.
The show and brand will now launch simultaneously on March 4, though viewers will not find direct references to purchasing opportunities within the programme.
The show, which features Meghan making and lighting candles, using edible flowers, and working with tablecloths, wine, jam and honey, marks her latest venture into the lifestyle sector.
The launch comes as the Duchess has abandoned her original brand name “American Riviera Orchard” in favour of “As Ever”, signalling a significant shift in her commercial strategy.
Explaining the name change, Meghan said in a video released Tuesday: “Last year, I thought: ‘American Riviera’, that’s a great name.
“It’s my neighbourhood; it’s a nickname for Santa Barbara – but it limited me to things manufactured and grown in this area.”
Meghan Markle, 43, unveiled ‘As Ever’ as the successor to American Riviera Orchard
Instagram / @meghan
Meghan Markle launched a website featuring a photo of her with daughter Lilibet, three, holding hands in the California sunshine
As Ever website
The Duchess elaborated on her new brand name choice: “As Ever, essentially, means as it’s always been, and if you’ve followed me since 2014 with The Tig, you know I’ve always loved cooking and crafting and gardening – this is what I do.”
The name change comes after the US Patent and Trademark Office partially refused the “American Riviera Orchard” trademark application, citing rules against trademarking geographic locations.
The new “As Ever” brand has also encountered challenges, with internet observers noting similarities between its logo design and the coat of arms of Porreres, a town in Majorca.
The logo, featuring two hummingbirds flanking a palm tree, was reportedly designed by Meghan herself.
Further complications have arisen as the owner of a clothing business called As Ever NYC is now consulting lawyers regarding the name.
