Kathrine Frich
Launching a new business always comes with massive risks.
Celebrity founders often enjoy an initial wave of hype, but retail reality usually catches up quickly. Now, a high-profile venture is reportedly facing a massive financial hurdle.
Falling traffic numbers
Meghan Markle introduced her lifestyle brand to the world just last year. She launched the company, named As Ever, in April 2025 alongside a fresh Netflix series.
To keep the momentum going, a second television season and a holiday special arrived late last year. But the initial excitement seems to be fading fast.
The official website experienced a heavy drop in consumer interest early this year. According to recent data, online traffic plunged by a massive 33 percent during the first quarter.
A mountain of goods
That sudden drop in daily visitors has created a staggering £5.2 million crisis for the brand. Behind the scenes, unsold products are steadily piling up in warehouses.
Royal commentator Alison Boshoff outlined the severe inventory problem in a recent Daily Express piece.
She noted that jars of luxury jam, tins of flower sprinkles, and specialty teas are all inching dangerously close to their expiration dates.
Boshoff even joked that King Charles has a better chance of swimming in the preserves than the Duchess has of clearing her warehouse. The royal expert believes this unsold inventory alone could easily sink the entire company.
Running out of time
Industry insiders suggest the situation is becoming desperate behind closed doors. Sources recently told the magazine Women’s Day that a formal bankruptcy filing could arrive by “the end of the year”. “Meghan just can’t move enough product and she can’t expect to sell things at full price with shortened expiration dates,” one insider claimed.
The source noted that avoiding a clearance sale is only making the warehouse problem worse. “She should hold a sale but she knows she’s going to be wrecked over it. It’s kicking the can down the road, though, because it’s tick-tock on that As Ever stock.”
Previous reports of empty virtual shelves are apparently outdated. “The whole thing about her [As Ever] stuff selling out isn’t true any more,” another source revealed.
Without a sudden financial turnaround, the high-profile lifestyle project looks doomed. As one insider bluntly stated, “Unless she and Harry have some miracle up their sleeve, there might be no saving this business.”
Sources: Daily Express, Women’s Day
