A royal expert has branded Meghan Markle's announcement of her new lifestyle brand As Ever a "clunky" attempt to "one up" her fans.
The Duchess of Sussex revealed that her much-teased venture American Riviera Orchard would be launched under the more succint name As Ever in a video shared with her followers on Instagram this week.
Meghan, 43, has been increasingly active on social media since the beginning of 2025, ahead of the release of her new Netflix series With Love, Meghan, due to hit the platform on March 4.
But commentators have labelled the duchess' pivot from private citizen to social media influencer as "insufferable and contrived", suggesting that her newfound willingness to share photos of three-year-old Lilibet, her youngest child with Prince Harry, shows a lack of authenticity.
Rebecca English, the Royal Editor of the Daily Mail, also had pointed criticisms of Meghan's announcement video, which she suggested was "divisive" and a way of "one upping" viewers.
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"I'm not opposed to her making money - she's no longer a member of the working royal family," Ms English told the Palace Confidential podcast.
"[It's] not something I would personally buy into, but I'm sure there are lots of people who would."
"[But] like all things about Meghan, it's really divisive," she added. "What some people see as her being cool and kooky, other people are saying is totally insufferable and really contrived."
The video began with an off-camera Prince Harry saying "it's recording", before Meghan ploughs ahead with her news. The prince's cameo was a "clunky" start to the clip, Ms English suggested, and "a way to remind people of her royal links".
She also claimed Meghan's opening few lines, "I'm shocked we've kept this a secret for so long", hinted at a desire for "one upmanship" over her followers.
It comes after a PR expert told the Express that Meghan was veering into dangerous territory by overexposing herself online.
"It's not necessarily a bad strategy, but it depends on what she's trying to achieve," Renae Smith, founder and director of The Atticism, said.
"The approach feels somewhat contradictory to the brand narrative that she's spent years crafting," Ms Smith added.
"'You wanted to be alone, but now you're sharing everything online, even your children?' That contradiction will always be difficult to reconcile in the public eye."
