In a stunning turn of events that has royal watchers and critics buzzing, Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, has suffered what many are calling a devastating setback in her post-royal business empire. Her highly anticipated Valentine’s Day collection under the As Ever lifestyle brand—launched with great fanfare just days ago—has conspicuously failed to sell out, leaving products lingering on the website and sparking a fresh wave of mockery online.
The collection, which hit AsEver.com earlier this week, promised romance and indulgence with signature fruit spreads (including the long-awaited standalone strawberry spread), gourmet gift boxes, and an expanded collaboration with luxury Los Angeles chocolatier Compartés. Building on the hype from a previous December drop that reportedly sold out in under an hour, insiders and fans expected another instant frenzy. Instead, crickets. As of early February 2026, key items remain available for purchase, with no signs of the rapid depletion that once defined the brand’s launches.
The Hype vs. Harsh Reality
Meghan teased the Valentine’s rollout on Instagram, describing it as a “love letter in chocolate” and urging followers to grab the limited-edition goodies for sharing, gifting, and “slow mornings at home with loved ones.” The lineup featured crowd-pleasers like Strawberry Spread Dark Chocolate, Raspberry Spread Dark Chocolate, White Chocolate with Flower Sprinkles, and Milk Chocolate Shortbread Cookies, all priced around $62 for a set. Promotional posts channeled her old blog The Tig vibes, reminding everyone to “be your own Valentine.”
Yet, the excitement fizzled fast. Critics point to a pattern: earlier reports of massive overstock (exposed by a website glitch showing hundreds of thousands of unsold jars, candles, and other items) already painted As Ever as struggling. The holiday collection from late 2025 reportedly still had over 137,000 units sitting in inventory. Now, the Valentine’s push—meant to capitalize on seasonal romance—has joined the pile of underperformers.
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Online forums, YouTube channels, and X (formerly Twitter) are ablaze with schadenfreude. One viral post declared: “Meghan Markle Humiliated: Duchess Faces ‘Brutal Blow’ as New Valentine’s Day Brand Collection Fails to Sell Out.” Commenters piled on, calling the launch “disorganized,” “lame,” and proof that the Sussexes’ commercial magic has worn off. YouTube creators dissected the “5 Ways Her Product Launch Is Failing,” from poor marketing to accidental early reveals and failure to notify subscribers properly.
A String of Setbacks Piling Up
This isn’t an isolated embarrassment. Meghan’s Netflix series With Love, Meghan—tied closely to the As Ever brand—was reportedly not renewed for a third season, dealing another hit to her lifestyle pivot. The brand, originally launched as American Riviera Orchard before a rebrand, has faced relentless scrutiny: from “filthy” promotional photos showing unpolished details to accusations of overhyping limited drops that never truly vanish from shelves.
Skeptics argue the Valentine’s collection was recycled at best—restocking old favorites like raspberry spread rather than innovating with fresh, must-have items. “She had a whole year to curate something special for Valentine’s,” one X user fumed, “and this is what she came up with? Fruit spreads for romance?” Others mocked the irony of pushing “be your own Valentine” messaging while her brand appears increasingly isolated from consumer demand.
Even positive coverage in outlets like People and Town & Country couldn’t mask the underwhelming response. While some praised the Compartés partnership for its artisan appeal, the absence of a sell-out announcement speaks volumes. In an industry where scarcity drives desire, unsold stock tells a different story—one of fading relevance.
What This Means for Meghan’s Empire
For a woman who once dominated headlines with her royal exit and Hollywood dreams, this commercial stumble hits hard. As Ever was positioned as her triumphant reinvention: a curated line of jams, teas, cookies, and now chocolates, inspired by her love of entertaining. But repeated inventory issues, glitchy launches, and now a Valentine’s flop suggest the brand may be struggling to convert celebrity buzz into sustained sales.
Insiders whisper that Meghan poured immense energy into As Ever after royal life ended, viewing it as her path to independence and legacy-building. Yet, with products lingering and critics circling, the narrative has shifted from “instant success” to “overhyped disappointment.” Social media trolls are having a field day, with memes and videos amplifying every misstep.
As Valentine’s Day 2026 approaches, the question looms: Can Meghan turn this around, or is this “brutal blow” the beginning of the end for As Ever? One thing’s clear—the Duchess who once sold out rosé in hours is now facing a much tougher sell. The public isn’t buying, and the silence from her camp speaks louder than any sold-out banner ever could. Stay tuned—this royal reinvention saga is far from over, but the gloss is definitely wearing thin.
