Meghan Markle apologises over As Ever order issue

Meghan Markle has apologised to As Ever customers after her lifestyle brand wasn't able to fulfil orders for its limited-edition honey. Photo / Getty Images

• Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, apologised after her brand As Ever couldn’t fulfil orders for limited-edition honey.
• A website issue allowed purchases of out-of-stock items; customers will receive a gift as compensation.
• The brand, launched in February, has faced issues including a trademark dispute and a logo controversy.

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, has apologised to customers after her lifestyle brand As Ever was unable to fulfil orders for its limited-edition honey.

The 43-year-old announced last week that the product had sold out within an hour of launching, and said about the response online: “My goodness, what a whirlwind this week has been! Thank you so much for the support.”

As Ever, founded by Meghan in February, released initial products including wildflower honey with honeycomb, jam, teas, crepe mix, and flower sprinkles.

According to the company, the entire collection sold out in under 60 minutes – and fans have now been told it led to a technical issue on the website that allowed some customers to purchase items already out of stock.

As Ever has encountered several issues since its launch. Photo / Getty Images

An email from the firm, posted by customers online, said: “The excitement created a volume of traffic on the site that even we couldn’t have anticipated (with everything selling out in an hour.)

“The orders were happening so quickly that the back-end of the site didn’t have a chance to keep up. The limited-edition honey that you purchased was, unfortunately, already sold out.

“We are working on replenishing inventory and will gladly send you an item of your choosing to thank you for your understanding.”

In the same message, Meghan addressed customers directly.

She said: “I was so sorry to hear about what happened with your order, and that due to overselling we are not able to get you the limited-edition honey.

“Please know the team worked very hard in every department, and felt just as sad when we learned what had happened.”

She promised customers they would receive the next limited-edition item from As Ever “as a gift from me” and signed off with: “So much more goodness is coming soon”.

The company has encountered several issues since its launch.

As Ever faces several teething issues

Earlier this year, Meghan faced a trademark dispute with the initial name for the brand, American Riviera Orchard.

In February, the owner of an existing New York-based clothing company called As Ever stated he was “exploring all possibilities” over the brand’s name but admitted he did not hold a trademark.

Further controversy emerged when Xisca Mora, a Spanish politician, reportedly considered legal action against Meghan for allegedly using a coat of arms design similar to one registered in Spain for the As Ever logo.

In April, eagle-eyed fans also spotted a small typographical error in a newsletter promoting the site’s product list, adding to a series of teething problems for the brand.