Meghan Markle's New Lifestyle Brand Labeled A 'Total Rush' As Experts Fear Her 'Hand Was Forced'

Meghan Markle renamed her lifestyle brand, American Riviera Orchard, to As Ever before the release of her Netflix series "With Love, Meghan."

This change has caused critics to call the shift rushed, citing trademark issues and repurposed materials. PR experts also argue it might be a strategic move to maintain intrigue.

The As Ever website leaked before Meghan Markle's announcement, revealing a broader product range, including food, home goods, and skincare.

Meghan's rebrand of American Riviera Orchard to As Ever has sparked criticism, with experts calling it a rushed effort using repurposed promotional material from last year.

A communications expert dissected the royal's move, telling the Daily Mail, "You wouldn't catch Kim Kardashian doing this," and suggesting the last-minute name change "telegraphed inauthenticity."

Another expert speculated that the abrupt change was due to a trademark dispute, forcing Meghan to pivot and reuse existing promotional materials.

They said, "It appears to have been a total rush - despite what Meghan says about As Ever going back to 2022."

The expert added: "They've clearly had to abandon American Riviera Orchard but recycle all the promos due to the trademark dispute. The leak happened yesterday and you have to wonder if her hand was forced."

Meanwhile, PR expert Mark Borkowski suggests Meghan's frequent rebranding isn't a sign of confusion but a calculated strategy to generate publicity.

Borkowski explained: "This isn't an identity crisis. It's a business model. Meghan isn't floundering; she's fluctuating on purpose. The perpetual reinvention, the strategic vagueness—it's all by design."

He continued: "No, it's a TV show. No, it's jam. No, it's a vague, atmospheric brand called As Ever. The more unpredictable she is, the harder it is to take her down. She's not trying to be Goop; she's trying to be a mystery. The product she's selling? Endless curiosity about Meghan Markle. So maybe she's not losing control of her narrative—maybe we are."

Speculating what Meghan could do next, Borkowski asked, "A sustainably mindful butter knife line? A sustainably sourced candle that smells like 'reinvention'? A pop-up experience where guests can personally witness Meghan not answering direct questions? Whatever it is, expect another name change when this one inevitably runs its course."

Before Meghan's official announcement, online detectives had already uncovered a Shopify site for her As Ever brand, featuring an unseen photo of the royal cooking.

The image, believed to be from last year's American Riviera Orchard (ARO) promo, shows Meghan in the same white outfit and kitchen as her previous teaser video.

A last-minute branding shift appears to have occurred, as the original Shopify URL (as-ever-store.myshopify.com) now redirects to her new website, asever.com.

The initial cooking photo was replaced with a touching image of Meghan holding hands with her daughter, Lilibet, in their Montecito garden.

Meghan's luxury brand made a splash last year when she gifted limited-edition jam jars to her celebrity friends, who eagerly shared them online.

However, the brand soon faced obstacles, leading to a complete transformation. Its original branding, including the logo, has been scrapped in favor of a minimalist design featuring a palm tree and two hummingbirds.

In her video introducing As Ever, Meghan subtly acknowledged the trademark challenges that led to her pivot away from American Riviera Orchard, revealing that the brand name had initially been inspired by Santa Barbara's nickname, the American Riviera.

However, she admitted that the name became restrictive, as it tied the brand too closely to the region's locally made goods.

"Last year, I had thought, 'American Riviera,' that sounds like such a great name. It's my neighborhood; it's a nickname for Santa Barbara, but it limited me to things that were just manufactured and grown in this area," she explained.

Still speaking on her brand rename, Meghan brought up her old blog, The Tig, noting that As Ever would be her way of sharing the things she loved talking about and doing in the past with her fans.

She said: "As Ever essentially means as it's always been, and if you've followed me since 2014 with The Tig, you know I've always loved cooking and crafting and gardening — this is what I do. And I haven't been able to share it with you in the same way for the past few years, but now I can, so as things are starting to trickle out there, I wanted you to hear it from me first."

Trademark filings obtained by the Daily Mail revealed that As Ever will expand beyond food into luxury home and lifestyle products, including table linens, skincare, haircare, scented candles, and even gardening tools like pruning shears and trowels.

Home essentials such as cutlery, knives, and tableware are also expected to be part of the collection.