The carefully curated, aesthetically pleasing world of Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, has hit a serious commercial speed bump. Netflix, the streaming partner that was supposed to be the golden ticket to post-royal financial independence, is reportedly stepping back from direct involvement in Meghan’s latest lifestyle venture, *As Ever*. While the company is not severing ties completely—they are still distributing the accompanying cookery show—the decision to distance themselves from the product line of jams, dog biscuits, and tableware is being read in Hollywood and London as a major vote of no confidence in the Sussex brand’s ability to shift merchandise.
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The premise of *As Ever* was always a curious one. It was meant to be the successor to *The Tig*, the blog, but with a celebrity price tag. The idea was that Meghan’s global fame would translate into a Goop-style empire of aspirational domesticity. However, the initial launch was plagued with issues, from trademark disputes with a small clothing brand in New York to a general public reception that ranged from indifferent to mildly mocking. Netflix, facing its own financial pressures and a shareholder revolt over content spending, has clearly run the numbers and decided that being a shopkeeper for Meghan’s marmalade is not part of their core business strategy. They want shows, not supply chain logistics.
