Meghan Markle has drawn a fresh round of criticism after introducing a candle collection tied to her As Ever lifestyle brand, a Mother’s Day-themed release that reportedly drew on Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet for inspiration. Promotional materials were said to reference the children’s birthdates and royal titles, prompting one palace insider to call it an “outrageous use of their titles.”
The collection lands as Markle continues to build a post-royal business identity, four years after Prince Harry and Meghan Markle stepped back from official royal duties in 2020. One source said the children’s full names were not printed on the packaging, and another defended the approach, saying Markle had been “very tasteful” in the way she includes her children in her brand.
That source added, “She’s not parading the children around at events. She never shows their faces,” underscoring the careful line Markle has tried to keep between family life and commerce. The dispute, though, shows how quickly even a limited brand release can reopen arguments over the couple’s use of royal ties, especially when the product itself is being marketed through motherhood and family references.
For Markle, the candles are part of a broader effort to define As Ever on her own terms. For her critics, the reference to Archie and Lilibet is enough to keep the old arguments alive, with the children’s names and titles once again at the center of a debate the couple left behind in 2020.
