The Duchess of Sussex revealed today she has decided to 'just pause' restocking her As Ever brand after previously selling out o...
The Duchess of Sussex revealed today she has decided to 'just pause' restocking her As Ever brand after previously selling out of products in less than an hour.
Meghan Markle said she wants to wait until it is 'completely stable and we have everything we need' and was trying to avoid being 'annoying' to customers.
The jam, made in a secret factory, went on sale in keepsake packaging for $14 (£10) in April along with a collection of herbal teas, flower sprinkles and luxury honey.
Meghan told of the difficulties of building her firm and 'tears' she has shed behind the scenes, on a bonus episode of her podcast with Beyoncé's mother Tina Knowles.
She also expressed her dream of launching a business with daughter Princess Lilibet, after talking to Knowles about the Cécred haircare line she started with Beyoncé.
'I wonder if one day I'll be in business with Lili and we'll be building something,' the Duchess told Confessions of a Female Founder. Knowles added: 'That's the best.'
She said of the April launch of As Ever goods including jam that a 'scarcity mentality at the beginning might be a hook for people', comparing it to 'a sneaker drop'.
But Meghan feared it might be 'annoying' for customers, adding: 'I don't want you to eat that jam once every six months. I want that to be on your shelf all the time.'
The Duchess said: 'So for me at the moment, with As Ever, it was great. We planned for a year we get and then everything sells out in 45 minutes.
'I'm looking at it saying 'Just pause. That happened. Let's wait until we are completely stable and we have everything we need'.'
Meghan suggests she's considering going into business with Lilibet as she interviews Beyoncé's mum
She added how people 'see all the flashy stuff and they see the product. But that end game... those behind the scenes moments, how many tears I've shed'.
Knowles has recently been promoting her new memoir 'Matriarch'.
And she said of working with Beyoncé: 'You know you have disagreements, and you have to - I'm the one to always cave. If my kids are mad at me, I can't take it. I'll cave. If we have a disagreement, it's her business, so she gets the win.'
The Duchess described Knowles is a 'fashion designer, beauty entrepreneur, cultural icon who has spent decades celebrating and elevating black style alongside her daughters'.
She added that she was 'so happy to be sitting down with you' and 'so glad you reached out'.
Meghan said she 'loved seeing Yvette there' – referring to Beyoncé's publicist Yvette Noel-Schure - and 'wrote her a letter after I went to B's concert a couple of years ago - she said the kindest things, and I just wanted to know how much I meant to me.'
Knowles then said: 'And Tyler talks about you all… he loves you, Tyler Perry , he's a really good friend of mine.' Meghan replied: 'Yes, well, he's a good friend to have.
'He's the most extraordinary soundboard. It's interesting for us to be sitting down talking about business, because he is that person that when I have questions about business or just when you feel like you're off your path, I need to check in with Tyler.'
How Beyonce met Meghan and said she 'was selected to break generational curses'
Meghan first publicly met Beyoncé and her husband Jay-Z in London in July 2019 at the premiere of Disney's remake of The Lion King, in which the singer voiced Nala.
Beyoncé greeted Meghan with a long embrace and told her 'Hi, my princess' - a reference to the singer's Brit Awards acceptance video in February that year which included a spoof painting of Meghan dressed as a princess in a tiara and pearls.
And in Harry and Meghan's Netflix show in 2022, the Duchess said Beyoncé texted her to praise her 'bravery and vulnerability' after her Oprah Winfrey interview.
In their joint interview with Winfrey in March 2021, Harry and Meghan made a series of allegations about the Royal Family after stepping down as senior royals the year before, including that a member made a racist comment about their son Archie.
Home footage in the Harry & Meghan Netflix series showed the Duchess reading the message from the popstar to her husband. She said Beyoncé told her she 'was selected to break generational curses that need to be healed'.
The documentary showed Harry pulling a mock surprised face and throwing his hands up and responding 'shut up' when Meghan says: 'Beyoncé just texted.'
He added: 'Just checking in, just casual,' as a laughing Meghan said: 'I still can't believe she knows who I am. She said she wants me to feel safe and protected.
'She admires and respects my bravery and vulnerability and I was selected to break generational curses that need to be healed.'
The podcast with Tina Knowles was recorded on May 5, four days before Meghan and her husband Prince Harry were seen dancing at Beyoncé's Cowboy Carter tour at SoFi Stadium in California on May 9.
The Duchess also attended Beyoncé's Renaissance tour in California in September 2023 along with Harry, her mother Doria Ragland and Suits co-star Abigail Spencer.
Hollywood mogul Perry has previously spoken about helping the couple when they moved to the US in 2020, providing them with a home and security in Los Angeles.
Meghan also referred to her son Prince Archie turning six years old 'tomorrow' - meaning the episode was recorded on May 5 - adding: 'Where did the time go?'
The Duchess spoke to Knowles about how she opened her first Headliners hair salon in Texas in 1990, after Knowles said she would go to salons and be 'there for five hours' - so she decided to start a business where she could 'respect people's time'.
Meghan said: 'I remember me with all my hair growing up, oh my gosh, and my mum (Doria Ragland) would have to drop me off at the hair salon and I would sit there for three to four hours for them to press and curl my hair, and that was at the age of 13.'
Knowles told the Duchess about how she 'fights so hard' for her family, which also includes her other daughter Solange Knowles and her four grandchildren.
Speaking about the advice she gives to her daughters, Knowles added: 'I tell them every day, since they were little girls, 'You belong anywhere you choose to be'.'
Knowles said she 'learned to be a boss' during her career in the hair industry, adding: 'I think that you start your business and then you find yourself. It gives you confidence that you didn't have before.'
Turning to Cécred, Knowles said: 'It has been a dream of mine forever, and Beyoncé, it's been a dream of hers.' She added that Beyoncé 'could actually be a hairstylist' because she grew up watching her mother work at the salon.
Knowles said: 'She's on a stage with hot lights and she wears wigs, and she's managed to keep her hair beautiful and healthy – and that's not an easy task when you're in showbiz.'
Meghan replied: 'That is a testament. I mean, even on Suits, I was on Suits for seven years, and I remember so many other actresses, especially if you're in that grind, they said: 'You are going to fry your hair'.
'Everyone was recommending that I should start wearing wigs. I never ended up doing it. By the way, if I was in that industry longer, I understand why you need to protect your hair.'
The podcast was recorded before Harry and Meghan had a night out at Beyonce's Cowboy Carter tour, with Knowles describing how the star was 'on fire' and telling Meghan 'Y'all gotta come'.
Meghan, who said she had been trying to decide which date to attend, replied: 'Oh my gosh. I can't wait.'
Last month, the Duchess shared pictures of herself and Harry at one of the shows in LA, writing on Instagram: 'About last night... Thank you @beyonce and team for an amazing concert (and a very fun date night)! All love.'
The final episode of Meghan's eight-part podcast was released on May 27, in which she spoke to Sara Blakely, founder of shapewear clothing company Spanx.
But Lemonada then revealed on May 29 that a bonus episode would be released.
The firm said in a social media post: 'We had just wrapped Confessions of a Female Founder and packed up the mics - until a call came in that we couldn't ignore.
Was this the moment Harry and Meghan realised they were no longer part of the Royal Family A-list?
'On the line was one of the most influential and inspiring matriarchs in culture today. Naturally, we hit record.'
Meghan also said: 'Next week, we've got one more very special interview for you. A bonus episode. Because when a matriarch calls, and when this matriarch calls, oh, you answer. This one is so special, y'all.'
The final phrase was viewed as a nod towards Knowles's Texas roots and Beyoncé's tour name of Cowboy Carter.
And the reference to 'matriarch' was also seen as a wink towards Knowles's recent memoir of the same name, which came out on April 22.
While Lemonada did not reveal the name of the guest in advance, fans quickly recognised the voice and identified it as Knowles.
Speaking to Marie Claire about the final episode, Meghan said in a statement published today that it was the 'perfect end to a very special podcast'.
Meghan accused of 'treating everyone like they're stupid' after sharing her latest foodie hack
She added: 'As I grow my own business, As Ever, I spoke to women who had turned their own entrepreneurial dreams into reality.
'Ms Tina's conversation fulfils the promise of the podcast, offering extraordinary advice, and sharing insights about being a working mom, building something special, and remaining true to herself through every twist and turn.
'This episode proves to be a powerful toolkit of truths that I will apply to my own life as I, too, grow my business, care for my family, and look forward to new adventures.'
In January, Knowles revealed her Malibu bungalow was destroyed in the Los Angeles wildfires, writing: 'It was my favourite place, my sanctuary, my sacred happy place.'
Beyoncé, who rose to fame with Destiny's Child, married Jay Z in 2008. They had their first child, daughter Blue Ivy, in 2012 - and then twins Rumi and Sir in 2017.'
'Confessions of a Female Founder with Meghan' is available via Lemonada Media
