Meghan Markle renames lifestyle brand with some critics calling it 'rush' job

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Meghan Markle’s much-awaited lifestyle brand American Riviera Orchard has been put to pasture for good. Sort of.

Less than a year after debuting the brand, complete with homemade jam endorsed by her celebrity friends, the Duchess of Sussex announced that her new lifestyle line will have a new name: As Ever.

With her Netflix series With Love, Meghan set to debut on March 4, the former Suits star took to Instagram to share news of the rebranding.

The video features a brief cameo from husband Prince Harry, who tells his wife, “It’s recording,” before passing her the phone.

“The cat’s out of the bag. I’m shocked we’ve kept this a secret for so long,” Meghan, wearing a white button-down shirt and jeans, says with a grin.

“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.”

She went on to explain how she thought American Riviera, which is a nickname for Santa Barbara, Calif., sounded like a good name, but “it limited me to things that were just manufactured and grown in this area.”

So when the streaming giant stepped in as a partner on the show and in her business, Meghan knew she had to change it up.

“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, and it’s called As Ever,” she reveals.

Meghan describes the new company as an extension of her former lifestyle blog, The Tig.

“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,” she says.

“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.”

However, news of the rebranding was leaked before Meghan’s Instagram announcement and the switch-up doesn’t look good, according to some people. One branding expert told the Daily Mail, that it “appears to have been a total rush — despite what Meghan says about As Ever going back to 2022.

“They’ve clearly had to abandon American Riviera Orchard but recycle all the promos due to the trademark dispute,” they said. “The leak happened yesterday and you have to wonder if her hand was forced.”

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A communications veteran said of the last-minute name change: “You wouldn’t catch Kim Kardashian doing this.”

A trademark application is still pending for the name As Ever, according to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, the Daily Mail reported. However, crisis manager Mark Borkowski told the outlet it’s all about getting publicity.

“This isn’t an identity crisis. It’s a business model,” he said. “Meghan isn’t floundering; she’s fluctuating on purpose. The perpetual reinvention, the strategic vagueness — it’s all by design.

“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.

“So what’s next? A 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.”

Along with the announcement, Meghan also unveiled a new website for As Ever, featuring a heartwarming new photo of her three-year-old daughter, Princess Lilibet.

Meghan noted that As Ever’s products will include fruit preserves.

“I think we’re all clear at this point that jam is my jam,” she jokes before signing off.

“But there are so many more products that I just love and now it’s time to share them with you. So I just can’t wait for you to see it. Thanks guys!”