Meghan Markle blasted over ‘mismanagement’ as new move raises eyebrows | Royal | News

Meghan Markle was criticised for “mismanagement” after the latest product launch appeared to sell out in minutes again. The Duchess of Sussex announced the launch of her new product, a limited-edition bookmark, which came with a new phrase last week.

Meghan made the announcement through her As Ever‘s Instagram account at around 5.03pm on Friday evening. But by 5.04pm the product on her website was sold out and not available to add to a basket.

The brand said in an Instagram post: “Our sold-out bookmark, now with a new phrase. ‘Hold that thought.’ A reminder that not everything needs to be finished at once. A pause mid-page. Mid-idea. Mid-evening. Launching alongside three thoughtfully curated sets — designed for quiet hours, golden afternoons, and evenings that settle slowly.”

It is not known whether the “sold out” bookmark was a website glitch, but it was not restocked. It followed reports that the brand’s website had seen a 36% increase in visits since October.

Data from SimilarWeb, gathered by Newsweek, showed that As Ever’s website saw an increase in visitors, with 196,831 visits in October and 268,200 in January. The growth appeared to be steady, with 245,982 visits in December.

Several of Meghan’s previous launches sold out within minutes, but now a PR expert has issued a warning that such repeated patterns can have an effect on how customers perceive the brand.

Renae Smith, founder of PR and branding agency The Atticism, told the Daily Express: “Demand forecasting is not especially complex in 2026.”

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Ms Smith continued: “You can analyse waitlists, traffic data, and social signals. If you are repeatedly caught short, that’s not mystique, it’s mismanagement.”

Referring to As Ever’s growth, the expert added: “A 36% traffic increase from October to January is solid growth on paper. For a relatively new lifestyle brand without a traditional retail footprint, that’s respectable.

“However, traffic is not the same as traction. What matters more is conversion rate, repeat purchase behaviour, and inventory management. We’ve seen items sell out in minutes, including the recent bookmark that reportedly went in under a minute.

“That can mean high demand, but it can also mean extremely limited stock. Without context, a one-minute sellout is just a headline.”

Meanwhile, it is understood that the As Ever is extremely satisfied with its progress and overall development, with its eyes set on continued growth and possibly expansion in the future.

An As Ever source told the Daily Express: “It’s still early days for As Ever, but the trajectory so far gives us confidence in the long-term potential if we continue to build it in the right way.

“We remain focused on growing the brand carefully and sustainably, while listening closely to the community that has shown such enthusiasm for it.”