Meghan Markle's latest lifestyle launch has ignited a fresh wave of online criticism after the Duchess of Sussex promoted $15 dried flower sprinkles for bagels and cream cheese through her brand As Ever. The product, described as an "elevated" way to decorate breakfast plates, was showcased in a holiday cooking video that quickly went viral for all the wrong reasons.
In the clip, Markle spreads cream cheese across a plate, adds sliced strawberries, and dusts the mixture with yellow dried flower petals before placing an untoasted bagel beside it. The segment, meant to convey effortless elegance, instead became an internet punchline. "It looks horrendous," one viewer told AOL Entertainment, while others said the dish resembled "something from a compost bin."
Social media users mocked both the presentation and the product itself, questioning why anyone would pay $15 for what several commenters labeled "a handful of dead flowers." Critics also noted that Markle failed to toast the bagel-a detail that quickly became symbolic of what some described as her "out-of-touch" approach to lifestyle branding.
Link Lauren, host of Spot On With Link Lauren and a frequent critic of Markle's brand, delivered one of the harshest reviews yet. After tasting the product, he said, "This is a no for me. I feel like I'm eating printer paper." He went on to add that the mix "tastes like straw" and called it "a tiny container of dead flowers" unworthy of its $15 price tag.
Lauren's comments echo previous viral critiques of As Ever products. Earlier this year, he claimed that the $64 As Ever Signature Candle No. 084 "arrived without a wick" and described one of Markle's fruit spreads as "the worst thing I've ever swallowed." Screenshots and memes from the flower-sprinkle video have now circulated widely, amplifying the backlash across TikTok, Instagram, and X (formerly Twitter).
The controversy follows a growing pattern of skepticism toward Markle's wellness ventures. Her earlier "recipe" featuring boiling water and lemon drew ridicule for being overly simplistic, while others accused her of mimicking Gwyneth Paltrow's Goop without its scientific polish. "She's trying to be Goop, but it's giving Etsy fail," one user wrote on X.
As Ever launched its holiday collection in late 2025, offering artisanal home goods, candles, preserves, and decorative garnishes. Markle said the collection was inspired by "bringing intention to everyday rituals" and her "love of thoughtful hosting." However, the brand's rollout has faced repeated questions over quality and authenticity, with consumers suggesting that the products prioritize branding over value.
"If you're charging $15 for flower dust, it better taste like magic," another user quipped, summing up the broader sentiment. Despite the backlash, As Ever has enjoyed major exposure-landing on Oprah Winfrey's "Favorite Things" list for 2025, a coveted endorsement that often drives strong holiday sales.
