"Meghan Mark-up"- Perez Hilton reacts to reports of Meghan Markle selling another brand's tea after tripling the price under her brand As Ever

Just a week after the launch of As Ever's tea line, a lifestyle brand by Meghan Markle, reports are emerging that Markle's brand is not the one making the tea, and it's being sold at three times the price of what the original supplier charges.

Reflecting on the news, Perez Hilton published a blog on his self-titled website.

"Well, it’s that Meghan Markle is allegedly doing some shady s**t with her tea biz — at least if a new report is to be believed," Hilton stated.

On April 2, 2025, the Duchess of Sussex launched the first collection of As Ever through its official website, which sold out within an hour. Similarly, when the tea line dropped last week, two specific flavors, including Herbal Hibiscus and Herbal Lemon tea, were restocked and sold out within the same timeline, according to The Sun.

According to the Daily Mail, and the website for As Ever mentioned that orders will be 'delivered from the Republic of Tea’s fulfillment centers'. This suggested that Meghan may be sourcing her hibiscus, lemon ginger, and peppermint teas from this American firm, whose factory is located 2,000 miles away in Nashville, Illinois.

According to As Ever's official website, the herbal teas are priced at $12 for 12 packets. In contrast, The Republic of Tea is selling their 'Natural Hibiscus Tea Bags' for $11.50 to $14.00 for 36 tea bags. After the news surfaced online, the brand has been changed to As Ever Store.

Meanwhile, in a statement to the Sun, royal expert Margaret Holder stated,

"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."

Reflecting on Margaret's remarks, Hilton said,

"Meghan Mark-up! Ouch! That’s pretty clever."

Perez further suggested that it seems reasonable that Meghan's team partnered with The Republic of Tea, as they sell a variety of teas, including one branded from popular shows like Bridgerton and Downton Abbey.

"But still, what a brutal reveal! Alleged price-gouging?! Over tea?! Really???" Hilton added.

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Sources close to Meghan Markle claim that The Republic Tea is their supplier

In a statement to The Sun, sources close to The Duchess of Sussex claimed that The Republic Tea is indeed their supplier of the tea for As Ever. However, they also emphasized that As Ever's tea blend is "different" from the teas offered by the firm.

Nevertheless, it remains unclear whether As Ever sources the tea from The Republic Tea and then has it packaged and branded itself, or if The Republic Tea takes care of the entire process, according to The Daily Mail.

Meanwhile, in an Instagram post uploaded on June 21, 2025, the Suits actress announced the upcoming launch of her first alcoholic beverage, As Ever, Napa Valley Rosé, set to release on July 1, 2025, the date of Princess Diana's 64th birthday.

Reacting to this news, in an interview on The Sun's Royal Exclusive show, ex-palace spokesman Dickie Arbiter stated,

"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."

He suggested that Meghan Markle is not a wine expert and she shouldn't be getting into something she probably knows "nothing about."

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Meghan Markle has also returned to podcasting with Confessions of a Female Founder, where she hosts female founders who share their success stories.

Edited by Niharika Dabral