Meghan Markle has taken Royal enthusiasts by surprise this year, not just by setting up an Instagram account but also by being quite active on it. The 43-year-old Duchess of Sussex has been sharing various posts, many shot at their Montecito home, and is currently using her platform to hype the launch of her new lifestyle brand “As Ever”.
This week, she shared a video introducing the brand, initially named American Riviera Orchard, and today she confirmed with a photo post that the launch is slated for this spring. Since her debut on the social media site last month, Meghan has already attracted 1.9 million followers.
Yet, in a move that might raise eyebrows among her fans, Meghan follows only one account – that of her own brand. @aseverofficial, the brand’s account, boasts 645,000 followers and a single post announcing its spring debut, which reads: “You’re warmly invited: As ever, coming Spring 2025.”
Meghan’s return to Instagram comes just before the premiere of her Netflix series “With Love, Meghan”, originally scheduled for last month.
Due to the California wildfires, the release of the eight-episode show was delayed, now set to premiere on March 4. A post shared by @aseverofficial, reports the Express.
The Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, first revealed her latest venture with Netflix on January 2 by posting the series’ official trailer on Instagram. At that time, she expressed her enthusiasm, writing: “I have been so excited to share this with you! I hope you love the show as much as I loved making it.”
Speculation suggests that Meghan’s ‘As Ever’ project could drop just weeks after this new Netflix series debuts.
Meanwhile, Meghan’s new logo for her lifestyle brand As Ever is proving to be controversial – just hours after she unveiled it.
However, the thinking behind the branding that replaces American Riviera Orchard has been revealed – with the intentional use of the palm tree and hummingbirds on the emblem. It is believed the palm tree represents Meghan and Prince Harry’s home in California with the two hummingbirds a nod to Harry, as they are a favourite of the Duke, who is a keen birdwatcher.
The Mirror understands that as part of the process of creating the logo, Meghan’s team undertook “comprehensive” global searches of registered trademarks. It comes after the Mayoress of Porreres, a town on the Spanish island of Majorca, claims the logo is strikingly similar to their coat of arms and has gone as far as saying the logo is a “complete copy” as it also features a palm tree and birds.
Mayoress Ms Mora told Spanish publication El Pais that the town’s heraldic coat of arms dates back to 1370 and its reproduction is “part of the idiosyncrasy of Porreres, of its heritage and cultural identity”. She admitted they are not in a position to sue for plagiarism but said they are calling for the logo to be removed.
Ms Mora said: “To sue for plagiarism is complicated and costly, and a small town council like ours is not in a position to fight against the English crown. At first, we took it as a bit of a joke because we didn’t really understand where it had come from and what their objective was in copying our coat of arms,” she explained to Vanitatis.”
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