PR disasters (IYKYK) thread 5

[AtIusvue]

For Meghan and Harry, As ever and Archewell posts.

Well there's a bookmark so that's to cater for the discerning intellectual wishing to take afternoon tea in their library. Hopefully after their arrival has been announced to an empty room by the butler 😁

🤣🤣@Butteredtoast55

There is a good reason why his military nickname was “ bunker Harry”!

Harry left after 10 years at the rank of Captain. It's possible he failed promotion to Major which is usually around 8-10 years. Those who don't tend to progress in the army leave as it's awkward having those who were under your command leapfrog you. I suspect Harry did struggle whilst also being in the shadow of a much smarter, taller and to be King older brother.

Is afternoon tea a thing in Australia? Do they go in for jam and tea?

Yes definitely I think the library set is wrapping in the bookmark with whatever else isn't selling. 😂

I think I have read that H didn't want a desk job , but also that the Army didn't think he could have passed the exams to get to a higher rank. But I don't have an immediate reference for that. I do think at the end of his (army) career he did 4 weeks in Australia , so that could be why he wants to visit , or will visit whilst they are there.

He wasn't going to pass the exams required for promotion to major, so had to leave.

The story at the time was that he
was a liability to his colleagues because his location was given away and he was a target. This thing about exams seems to be pure supposition.

Didn't he turn down a London posting to MOD HQ?

Are food and safety standards stricter in Australia? Possibly they’d need to change a lot of labelling? For example where ingredients were sourced, and what exactly was in the food items.
might prove to be tricky.

It was also odd that MM's mother only arrived a couple of days before the wedding and seemed to have no involvement in the wedding planning.
Had she even met Harry's family before that? It was all very odd on a number of levels.

And yes there is something odd about the focus on and branding of Lily. She is being used as this foil for the projection of Meghan's word salady version of feminism: becoming a strong independent women, who takes on the wonderous entrepreneurial business from her inspirational mother who led the way for girls like her by writing to fairy liquid when she was 9.

Or some such nonsense.

But there seems to be a lane that Lily can fill for Meghan's own brand that Archie can't. Maybe because he's a boy and maybe because of his personality.

TBH I've sensed something similar, albeit not exactly the same, between Catherine and Charlotte. Charlotte is able to play out/ play along with/ fulfill/ support the image of her mother as gentle/ cultured/ dutiful in a way the boys don't.
Again maybe because she's a girl, or maybe she's just a more biddable, people pleasing, performative personality than the boys.

But there is something odd about how the girl children in both families are playing the roles of enhancing their parents images whilst the boys are less focused on.

I suspect the prices have increased for one of two reasons.

firstly - with early sell out successes on limited print runs Meghan may have assumed she could command a higher price point. She may also have realised her profits after all costs were paid were less than she had anticipated and wanted to squeeze more money out of the products.

secondly, their new bundling approach - by putting the prices for the individual products up it gives the ability to look like there’s a saving when they’re bundled in together at a lower price point. I assume their bundles offer some “savings” vs the individual products?

It also gives her the opportunity to run sales in future without ever discounting her prices below her original selling price.

the problem for her is that I suspect demand has largely dried up, with, as other posters have said, the bundles being an attempt to shift some of the poorer selling products which also have shorter use by dates.

Going into Australia as her next market seems like a very strange choice - I understood Aus had pretty strict regulations on food and drink imports. I wonder if she’s thinking about some sort of joint venture - eg. doing some sort of partnership or profit share arrangement with Jackie who has a profile over there? That’s the only way I could remotely see this working and even then I’m highly sceptical.

Also, Archie is a firstborn son. Sometimes I wonder whether Harry isn't automatically keen on firstborn sons. Doesn't Meghan have an estranged older brother as well?

Reactions on AsEver Instagram sometimes don't make 100 likes.

Local food producers near me easily make 1000+.

@elessar I agree about Australia being a strange choice. One the one hand , given there seems to be a fair Republican movement , they may think having stepped away from the RF gives them an edge. On the other hand I can't see any Duchy Original type dupes going down well there. But her / their business interests on the trip might not be As Ever.

I'm speculating.

I've just seen the Daily Mail have an 'exclusive' from Netflix insiders saying As Ever was a bad fit and a disaster for them.( Sorry can't get a link at the moment.)

Looks like it was a bad strategy to dis Netflix for holding her back, and they are hitting back.

Link for above

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15627785/Netflix-not-happy-Meghan-Markle-brand-didnt-fit-insiders-say-respond-claims-shes-cut-ties-streaming-giant-shes-held-back.html

I agree @StrawberryWasp the barbed comments have not gone down well at Netflix HQ.

Oh that is quite a scathing article .

With the Wales children George has a built in role as Heir and is clearly being groomed for that, the way only George has tea with veterans last year was one example. Charlotte is being encouraged to have a role in things she is interested in, like the women's football and dance. Louis is too young as yet for individual outings.

I can see that the Wales seem to trying to allow each child to have a separate public identity whilst also presenting them as a family, supporting each other in the future. It's not perfect but i think it's better than what Diana did, insisting Harry was treated the same as William.

Someone hasn't grasped that friendship with Ted isn't the door opening relationship that friendship with Jeff Bezos would be. He doesn't have the power to push a friend's brand if it isn't successful and failure could backfire on him with his employers.

Yeah right Meghan, Netflix were holding your back …

• Snacking brand 4700BC has partnered with Netflix to launch new popcorn variants in India. This collaboration aims to boost the popcorn category and enhance at-home entertainment. The products will be available on ecommerce platforms, retailers, and the brand’s website. The company expects to report significant revenue growth by March 2025.

• Coles has rolled out a range of frozen food products inspired by two of the most-watched Netflix shows: Stranger Things and Squid Game.The Netflix range includes Stranger Things-themed frozen pizzas, beef brisket BBQ patties, spicy wing nibbles and ice cream, and Squid Game-themed chicken nuggets and stuffed potato mashies. Tim Lane, business category manager for frozen at Coles, said the company was thrilled to partner with the streaming service and bring new products inspired by its popular franchises.

• AB InBev and Netflix today announced a global partnership bringing together the world’s most iconic beer brands and one of the world’s most popular entertainment services.

• Seara, a leader in food innovation, has partnered with Netflix to launch an exclusive snack line tailored to “snacktime”—the moment of consumption between meals, especially during series and movie marathons.

• What’s better than sitting on the couch and enjoying a delicious bowl of ice cream while watching your favorite show? Nteflix and Ben & Jerry’s teamed up to create a new ice cream flavor for Millennials and Gen Zs who are homebodies.

They’re rolling back on them expanding international too, after saying NF was too cautious

The usual crappy PR. But Meredith is long gone, so is Method. It’s SS now….but it’s the same strategy. Say something reactionary….then deny. The common denominator is Meghan.

https://pagesix.com/2026/03/09/celebrity-news/meghan-markle-shuts-down-as-ever-rumors-after-netflix-debacle/

Meg also explained in depth, why NF was such good partner to sell such goods on her Bloomberg interview. Giving examples of pizza and ice cream sold with associations with NF shows.

Then she acts as if it wasn’t the right fit of her type of business.

Meghans latest picture on As ever insta …..look familiar?

There’s clearly no budget left. It’s embarrassing how much she keeps reusing shots from a photoshoot that took place a year ago.

She used these photos for As ever insta- in Feb 25, April 25 and Sept 25