The Duchess of Sussex has taken a further step towards merchandising her Royal status by posting on her wedding anniversary to promote an 'anniversary candle' for sale for $64 (£48).
Anniversary Celebrations
Meghan, 44, posted 24 pictures showing never-before-seen images from her 2018 wedding to Prince Harry, 41, overnight on Instagram. This was followed on Tuesday afternoon by a post to her As Ever Instagram page, which showed the candle alongside an image of her and Prince Harry being driven away in a carriage after their wedding at St George's Chapel, Windsor.
The caption read: 'The feeling of warm sunshine and blue skies, surrounded by love and laughter. Celebrating 8 years of our founder and Prince Harry's love story.'
The Candle
The candle, titled 'Love at first light', is numbered 519 in a reference to their wedding date of May 19. On the As Ever website, it is described as the company's 'signature scent'.
'This signature candle is inspired by the ease and joy of a day that holds Meghan's most cherished memories - her wedding day, May 19th. Bright and refreshing, with quietly grounding notes of Moroccan mint, white tea leaves, and a back note of woodsy cardamom, No. 519 fills the room with a soothing, welcoming fragrance that remains our founder's tried and true favorite. Housed in a beautiful ceramic vessel, this candle is hand-poured in California.'
Commercial Ventures and Criticism
Under the terms of the Megxit agreement in 2020, the couple agreed not to use their HRH status and that any commercial work they would undertake would not run counter to the Royal family's values. Meghan was criticised in some quarters for selling items worn on their quasi-Royal tour of Australia via the for-profit site One-Off, in particular the striped shirt she wore when visiting survivors of the Bondi beach massacre. She receives a share of the cut taken by the aggregation shopping site, which also features models like Suki Waterhouse, influencers including Emma Chamberlain, and stylist Jamie Mizrahi.
The brand As Ever is described on its website as 'more than a brand - it's a love language. Created by Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, As Ever welcomes you to a collection of products, each inspired by her long-lasting love of cooking, entertaining, and hostessing with ease. This curated collection has been crafted to elevate your everyday and inspire moments of joy.'
