Meghan Markle has come under renewed online mockery after her lifestyle brand As Ever added luxury matchboxes to its growing lineup of premium products.
The reaction comes as old comments criticizing expensive candles have resurfaced, prompting accusations of hypocrisy from critics.
Meanwhile, reports claim tensions have flared behind the scenes between Meghan and Prince Harry over a possible summer trip to the UK, where a reunion with King Charles has reportedly been discussed.
Meghan has sparked a fresh wave of social media frenzy after her As Ever lifestyle brand launched luxury matchboxes as part of its high-end offerings.
The new product line, which comes in blue packaging featuring the As Ever logo, is presented as part of curated bundles that also include her $64 signature candles and premium herbal teas priced at $110.
Asked during a live interview whether the matches are available separately, royal commentator and host of the “Kinsley Schofield Unfiltered” podcast, Kinsley Schofield, said shoppers would need to spend more than $200 to purchase either the “Morning Ritual” or “Evening Ritual” set.
When host Rita Panahi suggested a new nickname for the former “Suits” actress, Schofield dubbed her “Matchstick Meghan,” prompting Panahi to joke, “She does have those skinny legs.”
The online mood was no different, as social media users piled on with jokes and criticism about the new luxury item.
“The odds that I would pay $256 for some candles I’ve never smelled from a website are less than zero,” one X user wrote. “No one is buying this garbage.”
Another user mocked the pricing, writing, “256 dollars?!? Once the business collapses, that customer list will be its most valuable asset — these are the kind of people you could probably sell the Eiffel Tower to.”
Others focused on timing, with one person arguing, “Launching matches in Montecito in summer is in such bad taste. We’ve had several deadly fires and a deadly mudslide, and pushing matches just seems really tone deaf.”
Several critics also joked that the matches were fitting for someone they accused of “burning bridges,” referencing Meghan’s strained relationships with both the royal family and her father, Thomas Markle.
Meghan Markle’s Past Candle Comments Come Back To Haunt Her
The criticism of Meghan intensified after a resurfaced 2016 clip appeared to contradict her current business approach.
Years before launching her own premium candles, the Duchess dismissed high-priced candle brands while promoting her now-defunct lifestyle blog, The Tig.
“There are no $100 candles on my site,” Meghan said at the time, according to Page Six. “That’s so obnoxious.”
“I just want things on there that you can have,” she continued. “And I want people who understand that ethos.”
Meghan also described The Tig as being aspirational while remaining accessible.
“I’ve always crafted [The Tig] as ‘aspirational girl next door,’” she explained. “Like, you can aspire for it but totally attain it too.”
Report Claims Harry And Meghan Had Heated Row
Meanwhile, any suggestions of a possible royal reunion appear to have been overshadowed by claims that Meghan and Harry recently clashed over a potential trip to the UK.
According to reports, Meghan has made it clear she has no intention of accompanying Harry to Balmoral Castle this summer, where discussions about seeing King Charles have reportedly taken place.
“Things boiled over just hours before Meghan flew out to Geneva, and she and Harry didn’t speak for a while afterwards,” a source claimed.
The insider added that Meghan has no desire to expose either herself or the couple’s children to renewed royal tensions.
The source further alleged that Harry is now worried about the consequences of traveling without Meghan, fearing it could leave him spending part of the summer separated from his wife and children while relations with the rest of the royal family remain strained.
Expert Decodes Meghan Markle’s Anniversary Message
The reported disagreement comes shortly after an anniversary post by Meghan sparked speculation about whether she was sending a subtle message to the king.
While celebrating eight years of marriage to Harry, Meghan shared a carousel of personal photos. One image included Charles standing beside her during the couple’s wedding ceremony at St. George’s Chapel.
Royal expert Ingrid Seward believes the inclusion was intentional.
“Meghan doesn’t do anything without purpose, so she’s sending a message, isn’t she?” Seward told The Mirror.
According to the royal commentator, the image appeared to signal that Harry and Meghan still view themselves as part of the wider royal family despite years of estrangement.
“That’s what Harry and Meghan need because I don’t think they knew when they cut themselves off — with Harry’s book and the Oprah interview — just how alienated they were going to be,” Seward added.
