Since stepping down from their royal duties in 2020 and moving to the United States, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have embarked on new professional paths. Meghan Markle has been concentrating on her lifestyle brand, As Ever, while Prince Harry has devoted himself to various charitable initiatives.
Meghan's Brand Refresh
The Duchess of Sussex recently revamped her personal social media account and business pages, giving her website and online presence a contemporary look. A new profile picture now appears on Meghan's Instagram, along with a video showcasing her As Ever brand. The video's caption read: "Welcome to the World of As ever. What began with fruit from Meghan's garden, simmered into preserves in her home kitchen, has inspired our curated collections to bring surprise and delight to your everyday."
Expert Opinion on Brand Strategy
Former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond commented on the significance of this online overhaul. She told the Mirror: "I think she's right to keep everything fresh and new. We all know that most people these days suffer from having the concentration of a gnat. It's the world we live in and we seem to be constantly seeking change."
Bond added: "Since being an influencer and entrepreneur through her social media now seems to be her chosen career path, Meghan needs to take it seriously and keep her followers engaged. Judging by the numbers, people are more interested in her than the As Ever brand: she has more than four times the followers on her personal page. So she needs to keep on putting out the content to attract more business."
Harry's Charitable Focus
While Harry's post-royal presence has largely centred on charity work, Bond noted that Meghan's primary focus appears to be As Ever, which helps maintain her profile to amplify her voice on issues she cares about. "We don't seem to hear so much about Meghan's charity work these days," Bond said, "But the bigger her profile, the louder her voice can be in highlighting issues and campaigns she cares about."
Regarding Prince Harry, Bond observed: "I think it's unlikely that we will see Harry doing much in the way of promoting Meghan's business. To me, he seems much happier using his platform in much the same way he would have done when he was a working royal: visiting Ukraine, promoting his Invictus Games and speaking out on topics like the digital world, mental health and anti-Semitism."
Irony in Online Safety Campaign
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been vocal advocates for safer online spaces. However, Bond pointed out the contradiction between their campaigning and Meghan's active use of social media for her brand. "I suppose it's somewhat ironic that his wife now pretty much depends on the digital world for her commercial success. But it's where we are all at, and you can't put the genie back in the bottle," she said.
