Meghan Markle's latest business ventures are drawing fresh scrutiny as a royal commentator urges her to confront past claims about the British Royal Family, while her entrepreneurial efforts continue to face legal and branding challenges.
The Duchess of Sussex, 43, announced her new podcast, "Confessions of a Female Founder," set to debut April 8 on Lemonada Media. The project, which she described as "something else I've been working on," will feature candid conversations with female entrepreneurs, exploring the successes and struggles of building a business.
However, royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams criticized the timing and branding of the new series, suggesting Markle should instead use the platform to address prior allegations she and Prince Harry made against the Royal Family. "If Meghan was making a real 'Confessions of' series, it should deal with the inaccuracies she and Harry told about the Royal Family," Fitzwilliams told the press.
The couple's relationship with the monarchy has remained strained since their departure from senior royal duties in January 2020. Subsequent interviews, including a high-profile conversation with Oprah Winfrey, a Netflix series, and Harry's memoir Spare, featured several damaging claims about their treatment within the institution.
Fitzwilliams further questioned the podcast's potential success, noting that Markle's previous Spotify podcast, Archetypes, despite featuring A-list guests such as Serena Williams and Mariah Carey, was not renewed for a second season. "She is trying to be considered an influencer. It is uncertain how many she will influence, other than her fans," he added.
Lemonada Media, the platform hosting the new podcast, described it as offering listeners "a fly on the wall" experience, highlighting Markle's conversations with fellow female founders.
Parallel to the podcast launch, Markle is facing continued difficulties with her lifestyle brand, now rebranded as "As Ever." The former Suits actress encountered another bureaucratic hurdle when she reportedly failed to sign the trademark application submitted to the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Without her signature, the documents were deemed "not properly verified."
Additionally, the trademark office flagged ambiguities in Markle's application, requesting clarification over vague terms such as "various items" including "spoons, serving jams, and fruit preserves." Officials also asked her to categorize products under specific international class numbers.
This follows a string of trademark complications. Earlier efforts to trademark her former blog, The Tig, and her Spotify podcast encountered similar signature-related issues. Further setbacks have included a rejection of her application to sell clothing under the As Ever brand due to similarity with an existing Chinese clothing trademark, ASEVER. In Spain, a politician from Mallorca raised concerns that the As Ever logo bore too close a resemblance to the coat of arms of Porreres, a small village on the island.
Despite these obstacles, Markle remains committed to launching her product line. She has announced plans to offer items such as raspberry jam, wildflower honey with honeycomb, herbal teas, crepe mix, and shortbread cookies. The products, prominently featured in her upcoming Netflix project, will also include flower sprinkles marketed for "beautifying meals and sweet treats."
In an earlier interview with People, Markle addressed the trademark setbacks, acknowledging the challenges. "There are tons of twists and turns-even with the name," she said. "I appreciate everyone who gave me the grace to make mistakes and figure it out and also to be forgiving with myself through that. It's a learning curve."
