As controversy continues to rage about the ‘he said/he said’ dynamic in Earl Spencer’s damning memoir – and whether Prince Harry knew (and, crucially approved) of the allegations in the book – there is, at least, the opportunity to draw light relief from something rather less consequential. It might seem strange to remember this, given the various other disasters in the world today, but Meghan Markle – now, of course, a resident in Britain once again – is continuing to run her As Ever brand. Even though she no longer has the backing of Netflix and her cursed With Love, Meghan television specials to promote it, it continues to be a going concern.
Now, we have been treated to Meghan’s dinner party hosting tips. They are neither profound nor revelatory. Meghan’s ‘hosting notes’ begin: ‘Have as much prepped as possible before guests arrive, then save one simple task for the end.’
For those of us who regard the advent of guests for a dinner party as an unexpected shock, this might be sage advice. But for those who expect that feeding and entertaining one’s friends is going to require a degree of foresight and, yes, preparation, this is hardly profundity. And quite what the ‘one simple task’ is defies belief. Lighting candles? Placing a salad bowl upon the table? Offering sharpened knives for the hara-kiri process if it all becomes too much?
It seems as if these presently unwritten chapters in the Sussex saga could be the most eventful yet
All are possibilities, but Meghan’s advice is simpler and more homely. She instead suggests that this should be ‘something you can finish in the kitchen while everyone settles in’. If this wasn’t redolent enough of Hyacinth Bucket’s candlelit suppers by itself, the final suggestion, delivered as if from on high, is that ‘a little preparation goes a long way toward making hosting feel effortless’. One can only imagine the sheer complacency and self-satisfaction that went into offering these breathtakingly obvious little apercus of domestic wisdom, presented as if they were somehow helpful tips so that you, too, can make your hosting effortless. The sharpened knives somehow seem even more tempting.
The greater surprise, now that Meghan has returned to us once again with her family, is that the As Ever range shows no signs of being available in the shops and boutiques of Britain. After all, there can be fewer better ways of being able to pre-prepare a dinner party than to lay out the ‘signature candle collection’, complete with limited edition matchbox (yours for a trifling $256 or £194). Or to serve a $35 (£27) bottle of 2024 Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, which is ‘crafted for everyday dinners and celebratory gatherings alike’.
The As Ever brand is still somewhat limited in what it offers – candles, wine, jam and tea seem to be its main attractions, which would make for an eccentric, possibly fatal gathering. Nevertheless, I was pleased to notice, just in time for the publication of Earl Spencer’s book Swan Song, that you can also spend $20 (£15) on a blue leather bookmark, ‘finished with Meghan’s personal penmanship in gold foil’, and which is embossed with the vaguely menacing message ‘Only gets better’.
Quite what only gets better is beyond my understanding. But experienced Meghan-watchers might suspect a hint that something is most certainly being prepared – and I am not sure that it is merely a strawberry pavlova. The Meghan-approved copy on the website suggests of the bookmark that ‘our latest edition is inscribed with a gentle reminder that each page that follows is something to look forward to’. The trinket is intended ‘for the chapters yet to come’.
Given the pervasive speculation that Meghan’s ambitions, whatever they lie, remain somewhat greater than merely playing a homemaker and offering trivial little dinner party tips, it seems as if these presently unwritten chapters in the Sussex saga could be the most eventful yet. Watch this (carefully curated) space.
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