Fury as Meghan Markle flogs herbal tea made by firm which sells bags THREE TIMES cheaper
Meg's tea costing $12 for a dozen bags sold out within minutes of being restocked on her As ever website last week.
3
It can now be revealed that Meghan sourced her ingredients from American firm The Republic of Tea.
But the company sells its comparable tea for between $11.50 and $14 for 36 tea bags - meaning Meg's offerings will set you back three times as much.
Sources close to Meghan confirm Republic of Tea is her supplier but insist her blend is "different" to what they offer.
Royal expert Margaret Holder said: "Customers are paying a considerable increase for Meghan's label.
"She is taking advantage of celebrity branding. But it's a case of Meghan Mark-up not Meghan Markle."
The Duchess restocked her Herbal Hibiscus Tea and Herbal Lemon Tea last Friday for $12 for 12 tea bags.
They sold out within hours along with her $15 flower sprinkles and $28 limited edition orange blossom honey.
But internet sleuths scoured the page source of the on the As ever website tea and found the brand was listed as The Republic of Tea.
Since it emerged online and on social media the brand has been changed to 'As ever store'.
The Republic of Tea sells a vast range of teas included one branded from Netflix show Bridgerton and ITV series Downton Abbey.
Its headquarters are in California but factory is 2,000 miles away in Nashville, Illinois.
As ever has also launched its first alcoholic beverage with a 2023 Rose.
The booze is set to be available from July 1 which has raised eyebrows as would have been Princess Diana's 64th birthday.
Ex-palace spokesman Dickie Arbiter, speaking on The Sun's show Royal Exclusive, said: "I don't think we should be surprised that anything she does and as far as bringing out a wine, it's going to sell for something like £20 or 28 US dollars. It's a lot of money.
"And if you're going to go into that sort of business, you've got to produce a lot of wine to make money. If her jam is anything to go by, it's going to be sold out in about ten minutes.
"How many bottles is she producing? Who's producing it? She's not a wine expert. So, you know why go into something that you probably know nothing about?"
A spokesman for Harry and Meghan declined to comment.
Thesun.co.uk is your go-to destination for the best celebrity news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures and must-see video.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Reuters
23 minutes ago
- Reuters
Loews' quarterly profit rises on investment income, strong insurance unit
Aug 4 (Reuters) - Loews Corp (L.N), opens new tab reported a rise in second-quarter profit on Monday, helped by higher investment income and strong performance in its insurance unit. U.S. stocks staged a rebound following weeks of tariff-driven turbulence, as signs of easing trade tensions and hopes for renewed trade negotiations between Washington and key trading partners helped calm investor nerves, easing fears of a prolonged economic fallout. The New York-based company's investment income rose to $714 million in the quarter compared with $639 million a year earlier. The company rakes in the bulk of its revenue from CNA Financial (CNA.N), opens new tab, the insurance giant in which it owns a dominant 90% stake, according to LSEG data. Loews' insurance unit's property and casualty catastrophe losses were $62 million, compared with $82 million a year earlier, while net written premiums increased by 6%. Spending on insurance products by individuals and corporations has remained resilient despite economic uncertainty. Net income attributable to Loews rose to $391 million, or $1.87 per share, in the three months ended June 30, compared with $369 million, or $1.67 per share, a year earlier. Loews, which also operates in energy, hospitality and packaging through subsidiaries including Boardwalk Pipelines, Loews Hotels and Altium Packaging, reported total revenue of $4.56 billion, up from $4.27 billion last year. The company's stock rose nearly 6.6% so far this year, compared with the 6.1% rise in the benchmark S&P 500 index (.SPX), opens new tab.
The Independent
24 minutes ago
- The Independent
State Department could soon ask visa applicants to pay up to $15,000 to enter the US
The US State Department is proposing a significant new requirement for business and tourist visa applicants, potentially demanding a bond of up to $15,000 to enter the United States. This move could render the process unaffordable for many prospective visitors. A notice, due for publication in the Federal Register on Tuesday, outlines a 12-month pilot programme. Under this scheme, individuals from nations identified as having high visa overstay rates or deficient internal document security controls could be compelled to post bonds of $5,000, $10,000 or $15,000 when applying for a visa. The programme, set to commence within 15 days of its formal publication, is deemed essential to shield the US government from financial liability should a visitor fail to adhere to their visa terms. The notice specifies that "Aliens applying for visas as temporary visitors for business or pleasure and who are nationals of countries identified by the department as having high visa overstay rates, where screening and vetting information is deemed deficient, or offering citizenship by investment, if the alien obtained citizenship with no residency requirement, may be subject to the pilot program." The specific countries affected will be listed once the initiative begins. Citizens of countries participating in the Visa Waiver Programme would be exempt from the bond requirement, and waivers could also be granted based on an applicant's individual circumstances. While visa bonds have been mooted previously but never implemented, the State Department had traditionally discouraged them due to the administrative burden and potential public misperceptions. However, the department now asserts that this prior stance "is not supported by any recent examples or evidence, as visa bonds have not generally been required in any recent period."
Daily Mail
25 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Morning Joe hosts' absence from show allegedly due to Trump merger
Morning Joe stars Mika Brzezinski and Joe Scarborough's absence from their hit show this summer hints at a secret war with MSNBC bosses over Donald Trump and upcoming merger, it is claimed. More than one third of the episodes broadcast since Memorial Day have been missing one of the husband-and-wife hosts. Mediaite writer Colby Hall has multiple theories as to what is going on. He speculated that the power couple's absence may be icy cold revenge for MSNBC taking their show off the air in the wake of a July 2024 assassination attempt on Donald Trump. Hall said the decision - taken to try and avoid a huge gaffe by the anti-MAGA pair after the president was almost killed - may have 'widened' an existing rift between them and MSNBC bossts. Brezezinski and Scarborough may also be exploiting their power to 'leverage their stature within the network,' Hall believes, while also conceding the three hour daily show is likely tiring. 'But it's hard to ignore the timing,' Hall added 'With MSNBC's realignment on the horizon and talent contracts under review, Joe and Mika's extended absences feel like a flex - a reminder that Morning Joe doesn't work without them,' Hall stated. MSNBC is currently preparing to split from NBCUniversal to become part of an entirely new company, Versant, made up of other Comcast channels. The piece also pointed out pair have been missing many shows despite the pace of political news coming out of Washington, DC . Of the 49 Morning Joe episodes that have aired since May 26, Brzezinski has been away for 26 while Scarborough has been absent for 18. 'Most of their peers, Rachel Maddow aside, still show up five days a week,' Mediaite reported. 'Joe and Mika may be relaxing poolside, and fair enough,' the report concludes. 'But their absence sends a message. The only question now is whether MSNBC is listening - and how they plan to respond.' Hall said the Morning Joe stand-ins have failed to deliver 'fire-and-ice dynamic' that their viewers enjoy. Moreover, 'their absence sends a message,' Hall wrote at a point. 'When stars act like they own the show, it's often because they do - and they know it,' he said. He added how 'it's hard to ignore the timing' of the two's absence given MSNBC currently being in the process of weighing contracts - and their worth - for MSNBC's realignment. Morning Joe was first broadcast in 2007 and quickly became a hit with MSNBC viewers. Brzezinski, a liberal, and conservative Scarborough became vocally anti-Trump during the president's first term in office.
