Royal Family LIVE: Meghan Markle sent As Ever samples to Firm to ‘build bridges’

Meghan Markle sent sample boxes of her sweet treats not only to her star-studded friends, but to the Royal Family, claims a royal expert.

Meghan sent a box of As Ever treats to Clarence House (Image: Getty)

Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, has once again captured global attention with a gesture that speaks volumes about her intentions toward the British Royal Family. According to recent reports, Meghan sent a sample box of treats from her newly launched lifestyle brand, As Ever, to Clarence House in London, the residence of King Charles III. This move, described by royal expert Neil Sean in a Fox News interview, is being interpreted as an attempt to “build bridges” with the royal family, a relationship that has been strained since Meghan and Prince Harry stepped back from their roles as senior royals in 2020. At a time when the Sussexes are navigating their own path in California, this act of sending As Ever goodies—complete with a handwritten note—offers a glimpse into Meghan’s desire to mend familial ties, even as she forges ahead with her independent ventures.

The As Ever brand, launched earlier this year, has been a significant milestone for Meghan. At 43, the Duchess has been busy carving out a new identity as a lifestyle entrepreneur, a role that aligns with her long-standing interests in wellness, cooking, and community-building. The brand’s website describes its products as aiming to bring “surprise and delight” to everyday life, featuring items like herbal tea, limited-edition Wildflower Honey with Honeycomb, jams, and crêpe mixes. These offerings sold out within an hour of their launch on April 4, 2025, a testament to Meghan’s enduring influence and the public’s fascination with her post-royal endeavors. Alongside As Ever, Meghan has also released a Netflix show, With Love, Meghan, and a podcast series, Confessions of a Female Founder, further cementing her presence in the media and lifestyle space.

The decision to send a box of As Ever treats to Clarence House is particularly noteworthy given the context of Meghan and Harry’s relationship with the royal family. The couple’s exit from royal duties, often dubbed “Megxit,” was a seismic event that shook the monarchy to its core. Since relocating to Montecito, California, with their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, the Sussexes have faced both opportunities and challenges. Their high-profile deals with Netflix and Spotify initially promised a bright future, but the termination of their Spotify contract in 2023 and mixed reviews of their Netflix projects have cast a shadow over their professional ventures. Moreover, Harry’s memoir Spare, published in 2023, deepened the rift with the royal family by airing personal grievances, including allegations of a physical altercation with Prince William and a lack of emotional support from King Charles following the death of Princess Diana in 1997.

Against this backdrop, Meghan’s gesture of sending As Ever samples to Clarence House is laden with symbolic meaning. Royal expert Neil Sean, citing a well-placed source, revealed that Meghan included a note with the package, stating, “A sample box of delights has been delivered to Clarence House.” Another expert, Ian Pelham Turner, told The Sun that this act was Meghan’s way of “building bridges” with the royal family, particularly with King Charles, who has faced health challenges since his cancer diagnosis in February 2024. The timing of the gesture is significant, as Charles recently celebrated 20 years of marriage to Queen Camilla, a milestone that may have prompted Meghan to extend an olive branch during a period of reflection for the monarch.

Meghan’s relationship with Charles has not always been fraught. When she married Harry in 2018, Charles walked her down the aisle, a poignant moment given her estrangement from her own father, Thomas Markle. Early in her royal journey, Charles reportedly acted as a mentor to Meghan, educating her on royal history and offering a warm welcome into the family. However, tensions arose following the Sussexes’ departure, exacerbated by Meghan’s 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey, where she claimed a member of the royal family had raised concerns about the color of Archie’s skin before his birth—a revelation that reportedly left Charles “deeply hurt.” Since then, communication between the Sussexes and the royal family has been minimal, with Harry noting in 2025 that Charles no longer answers his calls or responds to his letters, and attempts to reconnect with William have been ignored.

Meghan’s decision to send As Ever products to Clarence House can thus be seen as a small but meaningful step toward reconciliation. The gesture mirrors her earlier efforts to share her brand with celebrity friends like Kris Jenner and Zoe Saldana, who also received sample boxes with handwritten notes. By extending this courtesy to the royal family, Meghan appears to be signaling a willingness to heal old wounds, even if the path to reconciliation remains uncertain. Royal commentator Hilary Fordwich noted that any package addressed to a royal residence would first pass through palace aides, and reactions behind the scenes may vary, reflecting the complexity of the Sussexes’ relationship with the monarchy.

However, the gesture has not been without its detractors. Some posts on X have criticized Meghan’s move, with users describing the As Ever products as “disappointing” and “overpriced,” and even comparing the jams to “baby food.” One user, @GrammaToody, called Meghan “Meghan the Manipulator,” suggesting that the royal family would have no interest in engaging with the Sussexes, accusing them of burning bridges with “napalm.” These sentiments highlight the polarized public perception of Meghan, who remains a lightning rod for both admiration and criticism.

Meghan’s limited visits to the UK since stepping down as a senior royal further underscore the challenges of mending familial ties. Her only return to Britain since 2020 was for Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral in 2022, a somber occasion that did little to bridge the emotional gap between the Sussexes and the royal family. Harry, meanwhile, has made more frequent trips, including a recent visit to London in April 2025 for a court appeal regarding his security arrangements, where he expressed feeling “exhausted and overwhelmed” by the ongoing legal battle. His belief that the removal of his state-funded security in 2020 was a calculated attempt to force him and Meghan back into the royal fold has only deepened his sense of alienation.

As Meghan navigates her new ventures, her gesture toward the royal family suggests a desire to find common ground, even amidst personal and professional challenges. The As Ever brand, with its focus on delight and connection, reflects Meghan’s broader mission to create positivity in a world that has often been unkind to her. Whether this small act of sending treats to Clarence House will lead to a thaw in relations with the royal family remains to be seen, but it is a reminder of the power of simple gestures in the face of complex familial dynamics.

In the end, Meghan’s journey is one of resilience and reinvention. From her days as an actress on Suits to her current role as a lifestyle entrepreneur, she has consistently sought to redefine herself on her own terms. The As Ever gift to Clarence House may be a small step, but it is a poignant one—a sweet offering from a woman who, despite the challenges, still holds hope for a future where bridges can be rebuilt, and familial wounds can begin to heal. As the world watches, one can only hope that this gesture marks the beginning of a new chapter for Meghan, Harry, and the royal family they left behind.