Once upon a time, he was the dashing spare to the throne, a brave soldier, a global humanitarian, and the world’s most eligible bachelor. Prince Harry, the cheeky royal who charmed millions with his boyish grin and charitable heart, seemed destined for greatness beyond the palace walls. Fast-forward to 2026, and the picture is starkly different. In a jaw-dropping Instagram clip that’s set the internet ablaze, Harry can be seen eagerly accepting a box of overpriced chocolate bars from his wife Meghan Markle’s fledgling lifestyle brand, “As Ever” – formerly known as American Riviera Orchard. “Ooh, yes please! Thank you! Love you!” he exclaims, barefoot at his desk, as Meghan delivers the treats like a proud salesperson. This isn’t a loving domestic moment; it’s the ultimate symbol of how far the mighty have fallen. Prince Harry has been reduced to a walking advertisement, propping up what critics call his wife’s endless string of vanity projects.
The video, shared on Meghan’s Instagram Stories just days ago, shows the former Duke of Sussex reaching for a white chocolate bar topped with flower sprinkles and hemp hearts – one of four flavors in the limited-edition Valentine’s Day collection crafted in collaboration with Los Angeles chocolatier Compartés. Priced at a hefty $14 per bar (that’s about £11 for what many call fancy candy with questionable ingredients like bee pollen and dried florals), these chocolates are being touted as “a love letter in chocolate.” But for royal watchers and longtime critics, it’s less romance and more desperation. Harry isn’t just enjoying a sweet treat; he’s actively endorsing – and by extension, hawking – products from a brand that’s struggled with trademark issues, unsold inventory rumors, and accusations of being little more than a celebrity side hustle.
Meghan launched her lifestyle empire in 2024 under the name American Riviera Orchard, teasing fans with limited jars of strawberry jam sent to celebrity friends. The brand promised artisanal preserves, home goods, and elevated entertaining inspired by her Montecito life. After a trademark dispute forced a rebrand to “As Ever” in early 2025, the venture expanded into teas, honey, candles, wine, flower petal sprinkles – and now chocolates. Tied to her Netflix series “With Love, Meghan,” the products have seen flashes of “sell-out” success, with some drops vanishing from the site in minutes. Yet whispers persist: reports of overflowing warehouses at Netflix HQ, where staff allegedly receive free jars of $14 jam, $32 honey, $64 candles, and $89 sparkling wine for promotional purposes. One glitch even revealed hundreds of thousands of unsold items, sparking claims the brand is more smoke and mirrors than booming business.
Enter Prince Harry, once a vocal advocate for mental health, veterans’ causes, and Invictus Games glory. Now, he’s front and center in what detractors mock as the ultimate demotion: from royal prince to “Instagram husband.” In the clip, he grins like a schoolboy as Meghan presents the box, selecting the white chocolate while she beams. “White chocolate? You got it,” she says approvingly. Social media erupted with ridicule: “This is what Harry has reduced himself to,” one viral post declared. “Hawking overpriced chocolates to prop up his wife’s latest vanity project. Oh how the mighty have fallen!” Another commentator quipped, “The only woman in the world to turn a Prince into a frog – Meghan Markle has truly cast her spell.”
The irony is thick. Harry once warned about the dangers of social media intrusion and the pressures of fame. Yet here he is, barefoot and beaming, participating in what looks like a staged sales pitch for Valentine’s bundles priced at $185 (including chocolates, spreads, candles, and tea). Critics point out the timing: amid reports of the couple leading “separate lives” with diverging business paths – Harry weary of California life, Meghan laser-focused on Hollywood – this feels like damage control. Harry’s own ventures, like Archewell Philanthropies, take a backseat while he helps push As Ever’s seasonal drops.
Royal experts and commentators aren’t holding back. “It’s embarrassing,” one insider told outlets tracking the saga. “Harry was once a global figure fighting for causes that mattered. Now he’s reduced to shilling chocolate bars with hemp hearts and bee pollen – ingredients that scream ‘trying too hard’ rather than royal pedigree.” Another noted the stark contrast to his past: “This man flew helicopters in Afghanistan, founded world-class sporting events for wounded warriors. Today? He’s the face of his wife’s overpriced confectionery line.”
Of course, defenders argue it’s sweet couple goals – a playful moment between spouses supporting each other’s dreams. Meghan’s brand draws from her love of cooking and entertaining, and the chocolates sold out quickly in previous drops. But for the growing chorus of skeptics, it’s symptomatic of a bigger fall: a prince who traded crowns for California celebrity, only to end up as the supportive sidekick in a venture plagued by questions of authenticity and sustainability.
The fairy tale has flipped. Meghan Markle, the actress who married into royalty, has – in the eyes of many – transformed her husband from prince to prop. Harry, once the rebel royal, now appears content (or compelled?) to hawk sweets for her latest project. Oh how the mighty have fallen indeed.
What do you make of this royal reversal? Is it adorable couple support or the ultimate sign of decline? Sound off in the comments – the palace drama never ends!
