Duchess of Sussex criticised as branding errors spark fresh controversy
Meghan Markle’s team is under fire after significant missteps emerged following the announcement of her newly rebranded lifestyle brand, As Ever. The Duchess of Sussex, who is preparing to launch a Netflix show next month, has faced renewed criticism as her rebranding efforts appear to have gone awry.
The rebrand from American Riviera Orchard to As Ever came after reported trademark issues. However, shortly after the new name was revealed, two other businesses—an NYC-based clothing brand and a wedding photography company—were found using the same name. Although these brands differ from Meghan’s business, the overlap has raised questions about her team’s diligence.
Adding to the controversy, the brand’s logo has been criticised for closely resembling the historic coat of arms of Porreres, a town in Mallorca, Spain.
Royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams commented on the situation, calling it “hilarious” and stating: “The logo is very similar. It was surely the responsibility of Meghan and her team to make sure this sort of mess did not happen.”
Branding expert Doug Eldridge also weighed in, describing the situation as “a comedy of errors” and adding, “Thus far, they are entirely self-inflicted, unforced errors.”
The controversy comes amid damaging claims from former employees, who criticised Meghan’s management style in a Vanity Fair article. Some ex-staffers alleged they were “undergoing long-term therapy after working with Meghan,” while another described her behaviour as akin to a “Mean Girls’ teenager.”
As Meghan pushes forward with her upcoming projects, including her Netflix series and lifestyle brand relaunch, these latest setbacks have added further pressure on her team to manage the growing scrutiny.
