Harry and Meghan have pursued their own business ventures since moving to California
Queen Elizabeth is said to have rejected Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s early plans to launch their own private commercial ventures while they were working royals.
Meghan Markle may be enjoying success with her lifestyle brand, As Ever, particularly her popular jams.
According to the Daily Mail, Prince Harry and Meghan’s desire to launch a private enterprise while still working royals was a key factor in the rift that led to their 2020 departure from royal life
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex reportedly hoped to monetise their positions by launching their own line of branded goods, with jam and food items as part of the plan.
The idea, insiders say, was inspired by then-Prince Charles’s own successful Duchy Originals brand. Duchy Originals has sold organic biscuits, jams, and other products since 1990.
Queen Elizabeth II reportedly shut down Harry and Meghan’s business ambitions (Credit: SplashNews)
Queen Elizabeth ‘rejected’ Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s business plans
Their argument was: if Charles could do it, why couldn’t they?
However, Queen Elizabeth II reportedly rejected the Sussexes’ plans outright.
All the proceeds from Duchy Originals go to charity.
Palace aides were said to be concerned about the optics of senior royals running for-profit enterprises, particularly while using their titles. The Queen’s decision was a pivotal moment for the couple.
Following tense discussions with the family, Harry and Meghan formally stepped back from their royal roles and relocated to California. The couple vowed to “carve out a progressive new role” while remaining supportive of the Crown.
Harry and Meghan have pursued their own business ventures since moving to California (Credit: SplashNews)
As Ever launch
Since their departure, the couple has launched several high-profile projects. These have included media deals with Netflix and Spotify, and now Meghan’s As Ever lifestyle brand.
As Ever recently faced a hiccup after a jam order system glitch forced the team to issue refunds. Meghan also promised free jars of apricot spread to affected customers.
In his memoir Spare, Harry wrote that he and Meghan left because of a lack of institutional support and alleged racism in the British press, not money.
However, insiders suggest the issue of independence, both financial and personal, was always at the heart of the split.
“Some suspected that in the end she wanted to make money,” royal author Valentine Low wrote in his tell-all book Courtiers. “The only way she was going to do that was by leaving her royal life behind and going back to America.”
Meanwhile, Meghan’s £6.50 “crafted” raspberry jam has come under fire from a professional jam-maker.
Donna Collins, owner of Texas-based artisan brand Jelly Queens, told the Daily Mail: “It’s a real disappointment that Meghan is selling a fruit spread, which is what you make when your jam fails. In the jam industry, a spread is what we call something that didn’t work. There’s no excuse for this. It should be perfect.”
