Before she became a duchess, Meghan Markle was already trying to carve out a space for herself as a socially conscious global citizen.
But lately, the former actress and royal has been pivoting hard into the world of business, and she’s making it known through her new podcast, Confessions of a Female Founder.
A New Focus: Building a Brand
Gone are the days when Meghan only talked about charity work and humanitarian causes.
These days, she’s more about spreadsheets and strategy meetings.
Her latest venture, the lifestyle brand “As Ever,” has become her primary focus.
The brand is already making headlines—thanks in part to the attention-grabbing launch of its first product, a raspberry fruit spread that sold out in under an hour.
Netflix’s Big Role in Meghan’s Business
While Meghan touts her small, all-female team as “savvy,” it turns out Netflix is doing a lot of the heavy lifting.
She revealed on the podcast that Netflix has dedicated an entire team—about 80 people—to support As Ever.
It’s a surprising imbalance for what’s described as a “partnership,” prompting speculation about who’s really steering the ship.
The Power of Relationships
Despite the asymmetry, Meghan seems confident in her rapport with Netflix execs.
She highlighted her personal connection with Bela Bajaria, head of global TV at Netflix, saying their friendship helped spark the idea for her show With Love, Meghan.
Her trust in the team and her influence over the creative direction were recurring themes throughout her chat with guest Emma Grede.
Playing the Entrepreneur Game
In true entrepreneur style, Meghan talked about her humble beginnings selling $1 scrunchies in school.
She’s leaning into the self-made founder narrative, even if she didn’t mention the royal wedding that helped put her on a global stage.
The show, according to her, is an extension of her lifestyle and business goals—bringing together commerce and content.
Product Launch or PR Tactic?
When As Ever’s debut line sold out in 45 minutes, skeptics suggested it might’ve been due to limited stock rather than overwhelming demand.
Meghan denied orchestrating the scarcity, though it’s unclear how many products were actually available.
Past Deals and Present Gains
Meghan and Harry’s original Netflix deal, worth a reported £78 million, brought huge initial success with the Harry & Meghan documentary.
But follow-ups like Heart Of Invictus and a polo docuseries failed to capture audiences.
The next deal with Netflix, expected to center solely on Meghan, might not come with the same lavish upfront payment.
Still a Royal Draw
Even with criticism, Meghan remains a powerful figure in media.
Her show reached over 12 million viewing hours in its first week and broke into Netflix’s top ten.
Critics, however, panned the content as too focused on aesthetics, like edible dried flowers on everything from ice cream to hummus.
Reinforcements from Netflix
Adding to the media push, Meghan recently brought on Emily Robinson—a former Netflix communications lead—to handle PR.
Robinson was previously behind the promotion of The Crown and is now tasked with getting Meghan’s message out.
Lessons from the Spotify Fallout
Her prior deal with Spotify ended badly, with executives labeling the Sussexes as “grifters.”
Staff even claimed working with Meghan was so stressful, some needed therapy.
Despite that, she seems more determined than ever to succeed in the lifestyle space.
The Tig, Take Two?
This isn’t Meghan’s first dive into lifestyle branding.
Before royal life, she ran a blog called The Tig, which blended personal essays with food, fashion, and travel tips.
That project was shut down when she got engaged to Prince Harry, but As Ever feels like a bigger, more commercial reboot.
Looking Ahead
As As Ever prepares to launch a new batch of products on June 20, the business world is watching closely.
Will this next phase prove that Meghan can build a lasting brand outside the royal shadow? Netflix seems to think so, especially with CEO Ted Sarandos reportedly being one of her biggest fans.
According to insiders, he’s “all in” on Team Meghan.
Whether this next chapter leads to true business success or more strategic reinvention, Meghan’s journey from palace to product line is far from over.