Prince William and Princess Kate’s ‘friends’ give Meghan Markle’s rebrand savage nickname

Friends of Prince William and Princess Kate have reportedly given ’s new lifestyle brand a brutal two-word nickname.

The Duchess of Sussex recently revealed her business, American Riviera Orchard, has been rebranded as As Ever. Meghan says she made the change to expand the products outside of Santa Barbara.

In an post, Meghan said the brand would still focus around “everything I cherish” – including gardening, entertainment and food. However, the duchess says fruit preserves are still set to feature heavily, saying “everyone knows jam’s my jam”.

According to Bella magazine, the new name has caused some sniggers among the Prince and Princess of Wales’s friends. They are said to have branded the business “As If,” as in “as if it will take off”.

One “friend” said: “It’s caused quite a bit of laughter within the group. WhatsApp messages have been going back and forth.

“It’s all very budget and rushed. Embarrassing, really.”

Meghan announced her business was being rebranded ahead of the launch of her show, With Love, Meghan on March 4. The show, in which Santa Barbara and Montecito featured heavily, was set to be released in January but was delayed due to the LA wildfires.

The insider said Meghan was “trying very hard to get things right” but admits she has faced “setbacks” launching her brand and TV show. However, they said the negative comments surrounding the show “didn’t help”.

Meghan’s lifestyle brand, which is set to be released later this year, will reportedly feature a major homeware and gardening range. She says the name is a nod to it being “as it’s always been” a reference to her time running lifestyle blog The Tig.

Meghan told fans: “Cats out of the bag, I’m shocked we’ve managed to keep this a secret for so long.

“In two weeks my show is coming out, which I’m so excited for and also my business, which I think there has been a lot of curiosity about. Last year, I thought, you know, American Riviera, that sounds like such a great name — it’s my neighbourhood, it’s a nickname for Santa Barbara — but it limited me to things that were manufactured and grown in this area.

“Then came on, not just as my partner in the show, but as my partner in my business, which was huge. So I thought about it, and I’ve been waiting for a moment to share a name that I had secured in 2022, and this is the moment, it’s called As Ever.

“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 in the same way for the past few years but now I can.”

Last year Meghan sent 50 jars of American Riviera Orchard jam to her high profile friends, including Kris Jenner, actress Mindy Kaling and model Chrissy Teigen.