The Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, has provoked a strong reaction with the launch of her new luxury chocolate line, with critics branding the $12 price tag "insane" and the flavours "weird" and "disgusting".
A Sweet Launch Meets Sour Reception
The 44-year-old unveiled three limited-edition chocolate bars under her lifestyle brand, As Ever, on Wednesday. Priced at $12 each, the bars feature what Meghan described as "signature" ingredients designed to "spark a sweet nostalgia". The offerings include milk chocolate with shortbread cookies and bee pollen, white chocolate with flower sprinkles and hemp hearts, and dark chocolate with raspberry spread and sea salt.
Despite the bespoke botanical-print wrapping and an upmarket marketing push, including a glossy Instagram clip set to Shirley Ellis's I See It, I Like It, I Want It, the reception from many fans was far from sweet. Social media users quickly expressed their bewilderment at both the cost and the unconventional flavour combinations.
Social Media Backlash Over Price and Taste
One critic wrote online: "She's got to be joking. $12 for a CHOCOLATE BAR? With weird [flavours] in it? Like who ruins chocolate with flower sprinkles? And bee pollen? Leave that for the bees." Another agreed, stating: "There's NO WAY I'd pay $12 for a random chocolate bar with weeds in it. Gross."
Further comments on platform X labelled the flavours "cringeworthy" and questioned the inclusion of "raspberry spread junk" and flower sprinkles. "Meghan's launched her chocolate bars, which will set you back $12 per bar. Insane!" declared another user. The confusion was summarised by one person who asked, "Is this true? She really put flower sprinkles in chocolate?" concluding, "That's a lot of money for a candy bar."
Launch Amid Personal and Professional Scrutiny
The chocolate launch occurred against a backdrop of significant personal and professional news for the Duchess. Just hours before the reveal, it was exclusively reported that Meghan's 81-year-old father, Thomas Markle, had been admitted to intensive care in the Philippines. It was later revealed he underwent life-saving surgery to amputate his left leg below the knee. His son, Thomas Jr., stated, "There was no option. I was told the leg had to be removed and it was a case of life or death." Meghan has not commented publicly on her father's condition.
Professionally, Meghan's new Netflix holiday special, With Love, Meghan: Holiday Celebration, has faced a wave of critical backlash since its release this week. The one-hour episode, which sees Meghan demonstrate festive crafts and gift-wrapping, was panned by major UK publications. The Daily Mail's reviewer gave it zero stars, criticising its "syrupy hypocrisy", while The Telegraph's arts editor called it "quite mad and a little bit sad" in a one-star review.
The chocolate bars are a direct extension of the As Ever brand, which debuted alongside the first series of her Netflix show in March. The brand sells products like the raspberry spread and flower sprinkles featured in the chocolates. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex's lucrative Netflix deal, secured in 2020 and thought to be worth over $100 million, remains active, with a new "multi-year, first-look deal" announced in August.
The festive As Ever range, promoted at the end of her Netflix trailer, also includes a $16 mulling spice kit and a $42 gift box of spreads, positioning the brand firmly in the high-end lifestyle market.
