Meghan Markle has introduced a British-inspired holiday line for her lifestye brand , As Ever, featuring high-end home goods and apparel. This launch coincides with record-low approval ratings in the UK and serious allegations involving her father, Thomas Markle.
The $398 tablecloth and the 'Meghan of the Manor' pivot
The latest holiday catalogue from As Ever marks a sharp departure from the Californian aesthetic—characterized by bare feet and sunhats—that Meghan Markle promoted following the brand's April 2025 launch. The new collection leans heavily into traditional British luxury, offering items such as houndstooth blazers and Mulberry handbags. As reported in the source, the most expensive item available is a tablecloth priced at $398 (£297).
Other offerings in the As Ever collection include a Trellis teapot for $98 (£73) and a matching teacup and saucer set for $68 (£51). The brand also features a leather notebook containing a British penny, retailing for $185 (£138). This shift toward a "refined take on hostessing" suggests a strategic attempt to align the Duchess of Sussex with a more formal, aristocratic image.
A net rating of minus 48 in the latest YouGov poll
This commercial pivot arrives as public sentiment toward the Sussexes reaches a nadir. According to a YouGov poll published Thursday, Meghan Markle holds a positive rating of only 20 per cent, while 68 per cent of Britons view her unfavourably. this results in a net rating of minus 48, the lowest the polling firm has ever recorrded for her, leaving her more disliked by the public than anyone except the former Prince Andrew.
Prince Harry has fared slightly better but still faces significant headwinds. The YouGov data shows that only 29 per cent of the British public hold a positive opinion of Prince Harry, a four-point drop since July, while 60 per cent view him unfavourably. These figures suggest that the couple's strategy of a "quiet" and "unapologetic" return to the UK has failed to resonate with the general population.
The Sandringham agreement and the fight for a second chance
The transition to a "Meghan of the Manor" persona has drawn comparisons to the luxury organic brand Daylesford Organic, but it has also reignited tensions regarding the couple's relationship with the monarchy. Some observers suggest that this branding move ignores the Sandringham agreement, which stipulated that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle would not maintain a "half in and half out" status with the royal family. The Sussexes have reportedly indicated this year that they never accepted those specific terms.
Royal author Robert Jobson has argued that the couple's path to redemption requires a formal apology, a step that has not yet been taken. Jobson suggests that a second chance in the UK must be earnned through contrition rather than lifestyle branding, noting that the couple does not currently believe an apology is necessary.
FBI reports and the fallout from Thomas Markle's Mexico storage unit
The commercial launch is overshadowed by disturbing legal develpoments involving Meghan Markle's father. As reported by the Daily Mail, Thomas Markle was reported to the FBI after a stash of child pornography was discovered in a storage unit he had rented near his former residence in Mexico. Thomas Markle has denied these allegations, but the fallout has been significant.
The personal toll of these allegations has been evident, with a friend telling Hello! magazine that Meghan Markle has been in tears over the potential victims. This family crisis has coincided with the couple's attempts to settle their children into a new life in the United Kingdom.
The Cotswolds estate and the question of a Montecito return
While the family is currently staying at a house on a wealthy friend's estate in the Cotswolds, there are lingering questions about their long-term commitment to the UK.. The couple recently took a short break, possibly at their home in Portugal, before returning for their children, seven-year-old Archie and five-year-old Lilibet, to begin the second half of their school term.
Despite reports that the couple might abandon the UK and return to Montecito, California, after the Christmas season, friends of the Sussexes deny that there is any "buyer's remorse." However, it remains unclear whether the brand's shift to British luxury can offset the combined weight of record-low popularity and the ongoing FBI investigation into Thomas Markle.
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