Meghan is accused of being a copy-Kate again: Duchess takes to a swing to promote her new As Ever products in snap that is VERY reminiscent of the Princess of Wales
Yesterday, the Duchess of Sussex teased her recent launch via the As Ever Instagram account with a snap of her grinning on a swing in a sunny garden.
Wearing a puffed sleeved yellow maxi dress, Meghan was pictured with her long brown tresses flowing in the wind, simply captioning the image: 'No more sleeps'.
Prior, Meghan had promised some 'delicious surprises' after describing the April launch of her products including jam and herbal tea as 'absolutely extraordinary'.
But her most recent snap is eerily reminiscent of a picture taken of Princess Kate in a garden she designed for the Chelsea Flower Show in 2019.
The plot, designed by the Princess of Wales, was called 'Back To Nature', and was inspired by the magic of childhood.
According to designers at the time, the Princess wanted to promote the benefits of being outdoors as well as the garden to be a playground for children to enjoy.
Proud of her creation, a beaming and playful Princess Catherine can be seen, recapturing her tomboy childhood, on a rope swing slung.
Meghan's seemingly inspired photograph comes shortly after she was accused of ' gaming' fans after nearly all her new As Ever products sold out within minutes for the second time.
The Duchess of Sussex yesterday afternoon released a video saying she 'couldn't believe' that nearly all of her items had already been bought up, including the flower sprinkles.
She said the team at her lifestyle brand had 'spent time' making sure they had more stock - as she unveiled a new honey, an apricot spread and a rose wine.
Meghan also released a restock of six of the items from her first batch that 'flew off the shelves' two months ago.
However, some fans were sceptical at how quickly everything sold out on Friday.
One person posted on social media: 'She is playing the 'sold out' game and thinking we are all stupid. You fool no one Meghan Markle.'
While a second wrote: 'Wait the only new thing she dropped was the apricot spread. WT*. And it sold out after 20 mins.
'Meghan must think people are really stupid.'
A third person added: 'Wow they have super small quantities. The apricot and tea already sold out.'
It comes after Meghan shared in a video on her Instagram story in which she said her team had this time made sure they had more stock.
She said in the post: 'We spent so much time making sure we had so much more inventory.
'That's why we took the time and you guys are doing it again. We are nearly sold out on everything.
'And I can't believe it - even flower sprinkles which I knew would be the big one again. So that has more inventory than all of it and that is also about to sell out.'
While the apricot spread and honey went on sale today, the Napa Valley rosé wine will be available from July 1.
The rosé is Meghan's first foray into the wine market - with the product sourced from the famous region of California , up the west coast from her Montecito mansion.
It has been described by her brand as having notes of 'soft notes of stone fruit, gentle minerality and a lasting finish' and a 'bespoke blend' which is 'launching just in time for summer entertaining'.
The 'limited edition' orange blossom honey which Meghan said had a 'beautiful golden hue, an enticing aroma, delicate floral notes and subtle citrus undertones' and would be 'a standout addition to your pantry' went on sale for $28 (£21).
The other new item was the apricot spread - one in keepsake packaging at $14 (£10) and the other just in a jar at $9 (£7).
The As Ever website yesterday showed that nearly all of the new and restocked products, including the apricot jam were already sold out
Meghan said this 'newest spread balances a delicate sweetness and a gentle brightness that lets this beautiful stone fruit shine'.
The brand's description adds that the spread is 'made with gorgeous fruit and a touch of sweetness, letting the apricot's bright flavor shine' and that the 'smooth texture and gentle tartness pair beautifully with everything from toast to cheese boards'.
Announcing the items, Meghan said: 'We are pleased to share that many favourites from our debut As Ever collection are back – and, we've added something new. We hope you find some special treats that bring extra joy to you and your loved ones.'
In April the Duchess released her first nine As Ever products including raspberry spread in keepsake packaging for $14 (£10) or a normal jar for $9 (£7), with the brand describing the collection as being 'infused with joy, love, and a touch of whimsy'.
Others were flower sprinkles for $15 (£11), wildflower honey with honeycomb for $28 (£21), a crepe mix and a shortbread cookie mix with flower sprinkles, both $14.
Three types of herbal tea also came out at the same time - hibiscus, lemon ginger and peppermint - for $12 (£9) each. All the products sold out in about 45 minutes.
The products restocked by Meghan today were the three herbal teas, the floral sprinkles, crepe mix and shortbread cookie mix – but not the raspberry spread.
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Meghan Markle (centre) with her co-stars of the legal drama Suits, in which she starred as Rachel Zane for seven series Even the name of her brand – As Ever – suggests that this is exactly what she would be doing had she not married one of Princess Diana's sons and had a Windsor Castle wedding watched by a global television audience of 1.9billion. And I do not say that in chastisement but in admiration and wonder. How the hell did she get away with it all? The Duchess of Sussex was always a girl with a plan, someone who envisaged a clear route through life for herself. Of course, there were lucky circumstances and astute choices. A father who worked in Hollywood, a first husband who was a film producer, well-connected friends, a second husband who provided the keys to the magic kingdom. She may have married for love on both occasions, but when opportunities came her way, Meghan made the most of them. Good for her. Then and now, she is focused, steely, diligent and disciplined. 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Perhaps Harry could have done more to explain and to help his bride decode the arcana of life inside The Firm. Or perhaps their mutual sense of self-importance, heightened awareness over perceived slights and coddled grievances were what assured their exodus and sealed their fate. And just like anchovies, Marmite, Covid vaccines, blue cheese, olives, Crocs, plunge pools and techno music, the Duchess of Sussex continues to have a polarising effect on the populace. Some love her, some love her a little less, some make a vomit face at the first flurry of flower sprinkles landing on a cowpat of her overpriced pancake mix, while others merely convulse and froth at the mention of her name. But that's enough about the Windsors, the hapless family Meghan threw under the wheels of her freedom wagon when she and Prince Harry escaped to America. 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'Authenticity to me is everything, and to be authentic and knowledgeable about your subject matter is extremely important.' Chat show host Megyn Kelly recently told her YouTube subscribers that the duchess was a 'malignant narcissist'. This week, President Donald Trump dismissed the Sussexes as 'not great people' and has previously called Meghan 'disrespectful' and Harry 'whipped' – as in bullied by his wife. It cannot be pleasant to have a sitting president taking potshots, especially when you are trying to establish yourself as a royal-in-exile in a country that is robustly republican. Yet Meghan is the Duracell bunny of the bounce back. She never seems to let any of it affect her advancement. Not even in 2023, when the satirical TV show South Park mercilessly mocked the Sussexes in a spoof video called The Worldwide Privacy Tour. In short order edghan achieved everything she wanted – and then some. Her own TV show. A lifestyle brand. Royal children, two of them, one of each, pictured with Archie and Lilibet Not when Spotify dropped her risible Archetypes podcast after one series. Not when one of their top executives called the couple 'grifters'. Not even when the late Queen Elizabeth issued an elegantly devastating public statement saying that 'recollections may vary' following claims made by the Sussexes of racism within the Royal Family and failures in helping Meghan when she was struggling. How does the Duchess of Sussex rise above the opprobrium? For years, Meghan has cherished a quote from the great US artist, Georgia O'Keeffe: 'I have already settled it for myself so flattery and criticism go down the same drain and I am quite free.' In this age of relentless social media scrutiny, it is a maxim many could usefully adopt – even if it is inspired by the Duchess of Sussex, the unlikeliest of modern role models and a woman who seems to have a few maxims of her own. 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