Meghan Markle was given a stern warning regarding her brand’s success this year, as rumours swirl about her next business move. The Duchess of Sussex kept herself busy last year with the launch of her lifestyle brand, As Ever, the release of her Netflix show, With Love, Meghan and the launch of her new podcast series, Confessions of a Female Founder.
Reports claimed that Meghan is planning on focusing on her lifestyle brand this year and that she has allegedly been working on a cookbook, which is tipped to be released this spring. But a PR expert has issued a 12-word warning to the Duchess, saying that she needs to focus on one key thing to establish herself within the business.
Renae Smith, founder of PR and branding agency The Atticism, told the Express: “A lifestyle brand without a lifestyle point of view doesn’t go far.”
Ms Smith explained that if Meghan follows her current strategy, her brand will unlikely go far in the future.
She explained: “From a PR perspective, if she continues on the current trajectory (sporadic product drops, mixed messaging, and a lack of clarity between personal, commercial, and cause-driven work) then 2026 could feel like more of the same: weird visibility, pockets of fan engagement, and very little long-term brand equity being built.
“If As Ever is going to be a core focus, she really needs to professionalise it. That means structure. Seasonal drops are fine, but not when they’re surrounded by long silences or conflicting statements.
“She needs a clear calendar, consistent storytelling, and a stronger sense of what the brand stands for beyond aesthetic nostalgia.
“A lifestyle brand without a lifestyle point of view doesn’t go far, at least not in any meaningful way.”
Regarding the Duchess’s rumoured cookbook, she added: “Now, if she’s serious about doing a cookbook, I think that could work for her fanbase, if it’s positioned correctly.
“Not just another influencer-style product, but something rooted in story. Draw on her family history, culinary rituals, and cultural influences.
“If executed with warmth and authenticity, it could be a smart way to reposition herself as more grounded and connected to something real. But the execution would need to be watertight: tone, visuals, media rollout, the whole thing.
“If we were advising her, the first thing we’d say is: Stop thinking in moments. You don’t need to say yes to everything. Start building a narrative. Create brand rhythm and strategy. Pick a lane and commit to it.”
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.express.co.uk ’
