Almost two years on from when Meghan Markle launched her own lifestyle brand; this year could be set to be the domestic Duchess’ sweetest yet after it was speculated that she may have made up to £27 million in sales of her ‘home-made’ jam.
And while eager-eyed internet sleuths took advantage of a technical glitch on Meghan’s As Ever brand’s website; cleverly unveiling that she has a backlog of thousands of products still remaining unsold; sources have hit back at claims that the inventory is ‘proof’ of her business failing.
Instead, the insider told People magazine that the staggering figures were actually an indication that Meghan is preparing to go global, insisting, ‘That large stock order was obviously part of the international expansion plans the Duchess has spoken about for the brand.’
Now we’re told that Meghan hopes to ‘dominate’ the UK’s jam market and is very much ready to ‘pull the trigger’ on going all-in with her passion project.
An insider says, ‘Meghan is absolutely convinced this is the moment to go big and she’s not talking about dipping a toe in; she’s talking about full global expansion. She believes there’s serious money to be made overseas, especially in Europe and Asia. She’s been gearing up for this next phase for a long time, that’s why there’s been so much stock produced, and she’s ready to pull the trigger.
‘It will give her a lot of satisfaction to dominate the UK jam market, which is something she really believes will be possible once her brand is exposed to a wider audience in Britain.’
It’s certainly a leap into the unknown for former Suits actress Meghan and will undoubtedly spell a huge personal and financial investment; a potential risk that we’re told her husband Prince Harry feels ‘wary’ about after what has been described as their ‘year from hell’ amidst a backlog of professional setbacks.
Meghan wants her business to go global ©Leigh Vogel/Getty Images
‘The problem is the cost. Setting up proper distribution abroad and marketing it the way she wants takes an enormous amount of cash, and Harry is very wary,’ the source says.
‘He isn’t trying to discourage her and he doesn’t dispute that the launch numbers were impressive; he’s just worried that she’s moving too quickly and may be taking too many risks with their finances.
‘He isn’t saying that she ought to throw in the towel, he just wants her to take it at a more sensible pace as the cash isn’t flowing the way it used to.’
This month marks six years since the Sussexes quit royal life, leaving the monarchy ‘blindsided’ when they laid their grievances bare in the most public of ways; lambasting their loved ones through interviews, TV shows and Harry’s 2023 memoir, Spare.
The drama, naturally, saw Harry, 41, and Meghan, 44, rake in over $100 million in deals with Hollywood’s biggest power players including Netflix, Apple and Spotify, who were all lining up for a slice of the Sussex story.
But the past few years have seen the Royal Family face their darkest times to date and the tide has turned in favour of the monarchy; even Stateside, where Harry and Meghan had once been hailed as Montecito’s shiniest new golden couple.
And as their popularity continues to decline, the Sussexes are also said to be floundering when it comes to keeping their finances afloat after projects, such as their adaptation of the Carley Fortune novel, ‘Meet Me at the Lake’, have failed to materialise.
Meanwhile, Meghan’s first solo cooking show, With Love, Meghan, saw Netflix partner with As Ever and promote the brand throughout the show.
But after having signed a lesser First Look deal with the streaming giant in August; a third series for the show has not yet been announced as viewing figures last year continued to decline with viewers complaining that Meghan’s debut was ‘out of touch’, ‘curated’ and ‘narcissistic’.
Now, we’re told that while Harry wants to be ‘cautious’ over their finances; the source says Meghan is adamant that this is not the time to play it safe and that the latest sales figures for her jams prove they are onto a good thing.
Harry is telling his wife to be ‘cautious’ ©Getty Images
They tell us, ‘Meghan appreciates Harry wants to be cautious and protect her, but from her point of view the last thing she should be doing right now is slowing down. She says the jam numbers have completely validated everything she’s been telling him about the potential for huge money in this lifestyle market.
‘But stepping back and taking things easy is not the way she wants to play this, she wants to keep her foot on the gas and invest everything back into the business to help it grow.’
Harry’s doubts also coincide with recent reports that he is keen for his father, King Charles, to visit his grandchildren – Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet – in Montecito this year, as he continues on his path to reconciliation with the Royal Family.
Harry’s hope, however, hasn’t always chimed with Meghan’s Hollywood ambitions as, so far, the majority of their biggest projects in Tinsel Town have revolved around their public lambasting of the royals.
After having previously gushed about his first meeting with Meghan in 2016, and how the pair bonded over their commitment to philanthropy, the couple had vowed to continue with the charity projects stateside.
But now it’s become unclear whether their destined ‘life of duty’ is quite right for Meghan, as the source says her aim is to become a billionaire.
‘Meghan wants to get to billionaire status,’ the source says. ‘She genuinely believes she’s sitting on a goldmine and says Harry just needs to trust her and let her run with this. She’s always believed she’s destined for serious, generational wealth, and As Ever is how she plans to get there.’
Yet with so much at stake, the source says Harry fears that sinking their funds into As Ever could be a huge ‘gamble’ financially right now; a concern that Meghan refuses to let slow her down.
‘He can’t help but worry about what position they could end up in if her gamble doesn’t pay off, but Meghan won’t listen,’ the source says.
‘He’s always very supportive but right now he feels they can ill afford right now with cash the way it is. She’s convinced this is her moment and she has no intention of letting fear or doubt stand in her way. If Harry wants to stay on her good side he’d do well to stop trying to be the voice of reason, she’s not going to take his advice anyway, and all he’s doing is riling her up.’
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