Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, has built a career on bold moves—quitting the British royal family, launching Archewell, and rebranding her lifestyle venture as As Ever. But her latest step, a lavish As Ever product launch event in Montecito in May 2025, has backfired spectacularly, alienating major partners like Netflix and drawing ire from the American public. The event, meant to showcase As Ever’s new line of jams, honeys, and wellness products, was criticized as tone-deaf, with exorbitant pricing and a celebrity-heavy guest list that clashed with Meghan’s “accessible” brand promise. Social media erupted, with X users calling it “peak elitism,” while industry insiders report Netflix and suppliers are fuming over the PR misstep. Is this the final straw for Meghan’s American dream, or just another storm she’ll weather? Let’s dive into the controversy, the backlash, and what it means for her future.

The Move That Missed the Mark

The As Ever launch, held at a Montecito vineyard on May 10, 2025, was billed as a celebration of “community and connection.” Meghan, radiant in a $5,000 gown, unveiled products like $28 wildflower honey and $15 edible flower sprinkles, touting them as “everyday luxury for all.” The event featured A-listers like Gwyneth Paltrow and Chrissy Teigen, a live cooking demo tied to her Netflix series With Love, Meghan, and a charity auction raising $50,000 for Archewell. On paper, it was a triumph. But the optics were disastrous.

Critics panned the event as out-of-touch amid economic uncertainty, with $200 gift bags and a $500 VIP ticket tier alienating fans who expected affordability from As Ever. X user @unreMARKLEble posted, “Meghan’s ‘for all’ brand is for the 1%. Hypocrisy much? #AsEverFail”. A viral video of Meghan calling the products “my heart’s work” while sipping $200 rosé fueled memes about her “word salad” persona, a term tabloids have long used to mock her. Worse, the event’s carbon-heavy private jet arrivals contradicted Archewell’s eco-friendly ethos, drawing comparisons to her 2021 TIME 100 speech, branded “inappropriate” for self-focus.

Partners Pull Back

Major partners, already wary after As Ever’s rocky rollout, are reportedly livid. Netflix, which bankrolled With Love, Meghan (a Top 10 hit but panned as “deranged” by X user Katya Zamolodchikova), issued a statement distancing itself from the event, citing “creative differences.” Insiders told Vanity Fair that Netflix, facing the 2025 end of its $100 million deal with the Sussexes, is frustrated by Meghan’s inability to “acknowledge shortcomings” and pivot from a “victim narrative”. Suppliers, including a California jam producer, pulled products from As Ever’s site, citing unpaid invoices and “unrealistic demands” from Meghan’s team, echoing claims she “chews up” staff.

The fallout mirrors earlier tensions. Meghan’s Spotify exit in 2023, after Archetypes produced just 12 episodes for a $25 million deal, left executives calling her output “underwhelming”. Her As Ever rebrand from American Riviera Orchard—criticized as a “word salad” by Meghan herself on her podcast Confessions of a Female Founder—already raised eyebrows for its $21.60 honey sell-out blunder, forcing refunds and apologies. Partners now question whether Meghan’s star power can sustain their investments.

The American Public Turns Sour

The American public, once enamored with Meghan’s post-royal reinvention, is increasingly skeptical. A 2024 Gallup poll showed her favorability at 31%, down from 46% in 2020, with many citing “endless whining” about her royal past. The As Ever event amplified this, with X posts like @Gitchigumi1’s, “People are sick of Meghan using Harry’s kids for PR while preaching authenticity”, reflecting frustration over her family-focused Instagram posts, branded a “giant f*** you” by royal insiders. Pop culture critic Katya Zamolodchikova called her podcast “overexposure” and “insufferable,” a sentiment echoed by SNL’s recent skit mocking the Sussexes as “unwanted” in the U.S..

Meghan’s critics argue she’s lost touch with the relatability that made her a Suits star. Her As Ever products, priced out of reach for most, contrast with her 2022 The Cut interview, where she described a “basic life” of yoga and hikes. Her use of the “Duchess of Sussex” title, criticized as “silly” by PR expert Renae Smith, fuels perceptions she’s leveraging royal status without the duties. Yet, supporters on X, like @MeghanFan22, argue, “She’s a Black woman thriving despite racist hate. Let her live!” highlighting the racial undertones of her backlash.

As Ever’s Shaky Foundation

As Ever’s troubles stem from its ambitious but messy rebrand. Launched in March 2024 as American Riviera Orchard, it was mocked as a “word salad” for its vague Montecito-inspired name. Meghan relaunched it as As Ever in 2025, focusing on jams, teas, and cookie mixes, but the honey blunder—overselling stock and refunding customers—set a shaky tone. Her Confessions of a Female Founder podcast, accused of copying another show’s title, drew further scrutiny. Financial analyst Mike Raia warned that As Ever’s small team struggles to meet demand, risking failure in a “ferociously competitive” market.

Meghan’s Netflix series With Love, Meghan, launched March 4, 2025, hit the global Top 10 but faced brutal reviews, with Geo.tv calling it a “rebrand from royal to domestic goddess” that felt forced. Her 2024 Golden Globes roasting by Jo Koy, who joked about Harry begging for money, and Suits co-star Gina Torres saying Meghan isn’t in their group chat, underscore her fading Hollywood clout. Yet, Meghan’s Montecito life—$14.65 million mansion, Archewell’s Nigeria and Colombia tours—shows she’s still a global player.

Can Meghan Recover?

The As Ever backlash threatens Meghan’s mogul ambitions, but her career isn’t over. Her Netflix deal ends in 2025, and Vanity Fair reports a “make-or-break” moment as Archewell’s output (three series, one memoir) lags behind its $120 million in contracts. However, Meghan’s resilience is proven: she survived British tabloid racism, a 2021 Oprah interview exposing royal family tensions, and a 2023 Spare-fueled rift. Her upcoming Confessions season with Lemonada Media and potential As Ever expansions (e.g., rosé wine, despite warnings) keep her in the game.

Hollywood’s scrutiny of celebrity brands, from Goop to Skims, is brutal, and Meghan’s Black identity amplifies it. The New Yorker noted she could’ve been a “symbolic ambassador” for people of color, but racism from tabloids and trolls derailed that. Supporters, including Beyoncé, who praised her 2021 interview, see her as a trailblazer. PR experts urge her to pivot to philanthropy, not influencer ventures, to rebuild trust.

Meghan’s Path Forward

Meghan Markle’s As Ever launch was a miscalculation, alienating partners and fans who wanted authenticity, not elitism. Netflix’s cold shoulder and public jeers on X signal a low point, echoing 2023 warnings of Americans tiring of her “whining”. But at 43, Meghan has navigated worse—tabloid vitriol, royal estrangement, staff turnover scandals. Her Montecito empire, built with Harry, Archie, and Lilibet, remains a testament to her hustle. The As Ever storm will pass if she recalibrates—perhaps leaning into charity, as Express suggested, or refining her brand’s messaging. Critics may mock her “word salad,” but Meghan’s voice, forged through adversity, still resonates. She’s down, but never out.