Meghan Markle's As Ever Rollout Faced Some Hiccups (& The First Reviews Aren't Great)

Since leaving the royal family, Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex have been busy with a variety of different projects. Meghan, in particular, has really put herself out there, most recently with her cooking and lifestyle Netflix show "With Love, Meghan" and her As Ever line of products. Both ventures seem to have been a hit; "With Love, Meghan" got renewed for another season, and in less than an hour, all the items from Meghan's As Ever lifestyle brand sold out.

However, both projects have also faced backlash. Meghan's Netflix show had a number of moments that rubbed people the wrong way. Some people who bought from As Ever won't be getting their orders anytime soon, Meghan's signature product is facing some scathing reviews, and her advice on how to enjoy tea has people irritated.

There's also the fact that some think it's disingenuous that Meghan appears to be using her title to sell very British-coded products (teas and shortbread mix), especially considering Meghan and Harry stepped back from royal duties years ago. And there's still an ongoing rift between Harry and Meghan and some in the royal family.

The As Ever Wildflower Honey with Honeycomb, a limited edition offering, sold out in an impressive five minutes. However, with the demand, the processing system at the website apparently couldn't keep up and it processed purchases for honey that was no longer available. One buyer went on X (formerly known as Twitter) to share the email that they got when they were notified that their purchase of the honey didn't go through. Buyers will, of course, get their $28 refunded, and they have been offered a free replacement product from the rest of the line (when it gets restocked).

It's a generous offer to not only refund customers but also offer them another item. Per the same X user, there was apparently also another email, signed by Meghan Markle, that said those honey purchasers who didn't get the honey would be automatically sent the next limited edition item from the brand. It's not clear if that is in addition to the promised free item of choice; best case scenario, it's two free items.

Though it may not be the wildflower honey, given the fact that the product was limited edition. The website notes the honey as "sold out" with a "stay connected" notification option while the other sold out products in the line have a "get notified" option. So it seems like those hoping to try this honey could be out of luck. But only time will tell.

We are fairly confident that Meghan Markle's As Ever Raspberry Spread will be up for sale again. It's her signature product that's described on the As Ever website as, "Where it all began." It's the only of the sold out products currently listed on the website as "coming soon." But despite its seeming popularity, it's faced criticism. People have already called out the keepsake packaging option for the As Ever Raspberry Spread as wasteful. And it has continued to cause controversy with some saying that the preserves seem particularly runny and too loose for their liking. One person on X said "it's raspberry sauce." Another joked that it would shortly be rebranded as a soup. A Daily Mail reviewer said: "its consistency dripped off the silverware like a sauce. It was unappealing to say the least."

Granted, the spread does seem to be intentionally loose. It's referred to as being "crafted with a fluid texture," and the "Tips for Enjoyment" for the spread on the As Ever website includes, "A tiny trickle in a glass of bubbles for a playful take on a champagne cocktail." That isn't really something you could do with a thicker preserve.

The raspberry preserves are also notably not called jam. In Episode 3 of "With Love, Meghan," she noted, "Technically it can't be called jam because jam is equal parts sugar and fruit. I just don't think you can taste the fruit that way," via Town & Country. But even with good intentions around its consistency, not everyone's happy with the Raspberry Spread.

And yet, that's not even all the drama surrounding Meghan Markle's As Ever items. Some critics are particularly annoyed that there are notes on how to make tea. The biggest issue seems to be with the two "Tips for Enjoyment" on the As Ever website for the Herbal Peppermint Tea, which are both: "Steep in hot water and share with loved ones after an indulgent meal."

One person on X sarcastically noted, "I'm shook to the bone with this invaluable knowledge of how to make tea. How did I get this far in life without someone telling me this." Another said, "It's the condescension that winds me up & I doubt I'm alone." And they also think that the duchess has got it wrong; the water shouldn't just be hot, it needs to be boiling.

But even with all the criticism, Meghan may be getting the last laugh. There's clearly demand for the As Ever products and she's making money. Plus, this business venture lets her keep a work life balance. As she told The New York Times, "I need to work, and I love to work." She added, "This is a way I can connect my home life and my work."