Frantic to finally settle on an acceptable public image, Meghan Markle has once again careened from one rebrand to another and it has followers cringing.
Markle would have done well to consider the PR consequences before she trashed her husband’s family and tortured the final days of his beloved grandparents, considered global treasures by so many.
This time, she’s swapped her ill-fated “American Riviera Orchard” platform for the equally baffling “As Ever.”
The name itself, which sounds like a failed romance novel, is not so much a savvy pivot as it is a frantic scramble to salvage the Duchess’ sinking ship. It’s hard to watch without feeling second-hand embarrassment at the level of desperation coming through loud and clear.
Meghan Markle has demanded the media respect her privacy while also appearing on numerous media to talk about her and Harry's personal life
GettyMarkle’s most recent previous brand, “American Riviera Orchard,” announced last year, was supposed to position Meghan as the next American domestic goddess, a lifestyle guru offering everything from homemade jams to home décor to the aspiring masses.
From the very start, it was a disaster. The name—meant to evoke an idyllic, rustic dream—was a clumsy amalgamation of American and Italian influences, with a dash of pastoral whimsy thrown in.
Social media tore it apart, calling it “stupid,” “overpriced,” and “beige”—a brand that lacked any soul and seemed doomed from the outset.
Add to that trademark issues involving descriptiveness, name duplication, and logo design and it was clear “American Riviera Orchard” was a sinking ship before it even set sail.
Meghan launched an Instagram page for American Riviera Orchard last yearInstagramNow, just months later, in what can only be described as a desperate move, Meghan has reportedly rebranded anew, this time to “As Ever.”
The name, Markle claims, is a throwback to her signature sign-off in correspondence, but anyone with a shred of common sense can tell this move is nothing more than an attempt to salvage what’s left of her brand.
“As Ever” is so self-absorbed, so utterly removed from reality, that it’s hard to imagine anyone seriously buying into it let alone selecting it to represent them.
The name sounds like the kind of pretentious rubbish that gets tossed out at a brainstorming session after too much wine and avocado toast.
The timing of this rebrand is just as cringeworthy. Just weeks ago, rumours swirled that Netflix had been pushing Meghan to market her jams in US retail locations, coinciding with the release of her cooking show, “With Love, Meghan.”
Critics claimed Markle was so intent on chasing the dollar that she had lost sight of any real identity. What exactly is she selling? Luxury? Authenticity? The fairy-tale persona that once captivated us?
No one really knows because Markle keeps shifting the narrative. Every rebrand feels more calculated than the last, and each pivot seems like a desperate attempt to avoid the truth: Meghan Markle can’t settle on who she wants to be to become “unburdened by who she has been,” to misquote Kamala Harris.
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As Ever: Meghan Markle's brand logo was 'intentionally designed' as insider launches defenceGetty / As EverOf course the biggest issue of all is the failed Duchess’ self imposed image problem. Blasted on Social Media, ridiculed by Hollywood executives and American comedians alike, Markle has tried to reposition herself as the “adoring spouse” to Prince Harry, seemingly in a bid to soften her image after years of being perceived as bullying and calculating.
She’s even leaned into public displays of affection at events like the Invictus Games, trying to show a warmer side. The problem is, this shift feels like so much else surrounding the ducal couple: inauthentic. Could Meghan possibly be trying to convince us she’s something she’s not?!
The public have weighed in, and the consensus of inauthenticity is a bad look when one is trying to establish a positive image.
Meghan is a former actress-turned royal-turned influencer, and it’s hard to shake the feeling that she’s playing dress-up in someone else’s life.
“As Ever” is simply the latest chapter in a long string of increasingly abandoned attempts to find a lane that doesn’t exist.
What’s most cringeworthy, however, is the sheer arrogance behind it all.
And judging by the response on social media, it’s clear that the world is sick-to-death of the constant reinvention.
