Meghan Markle, once dismissed as a “grifter” by Spotify executive Bill Simmons when her high-profile podcast deal fell apart, is now finding herself in a different kind of hustle.
No longer backed by easy multimillion-dollar contracts, she’s grinding away like any other social media influencer, striving to carve out a new identity in the competitive world of lifestyle branding.
A New Gwyneth Paltrow?
With the pressure mounting, Meghan is working overtime to establish an online presence ahead of her all-important Netflix venture, a make-or-break moment in her bid to reinvent herself as a Gwyneth Paltrow-esque wellness mogul.
Advertisement
Her upcoming Netflix show, ‘With Love, Meghan,’ is set to premiere on March 4, aligning with the launch of her high-end food and homeware brand. To build anticipation, she has been curating a more personal Instagram feed, sharing moments like a Valentine’s Day tribute to Prince Harry, complete with a romantic snapshot of them kissing.
Industry insiders suggest Markle has been immersed in preparations for months, pouring energy into ensuring the show and the brand land successfully.
Showbiz fixer professor Jonathan Shalit noted that producing content at this level requires relentless effort behind the scenes, an unseen grind that few acknowledge.
The talent manager, who has worked with famous figures including Dame Joan Collins, added, “When you’re managing a program or a podcast there’s a lot of hard work you don’t see. My guess is she’s been working very hard for four or five months and feeling pressure when you put your work in the public domain to be judged, here’s always going to be pressure.”
Prof Shalit also said Markle is becoming an “influencer with influence” and is “working hard to pay the bills” as she has an “impressive engagement on social media|” to maintain.
An ‘Influencer Without Influence’?
However, according to RadarOnline, one industry source was quick to label her an “influencer without influence,” arguing that the reality of constantly proving herself and churning out fresh content may not be something Markle has the patience or expertise to sustain.
“She’s just like any old ordinary influencer now on the workfront, constantly having to prove herself and pump out a new product,” they said. “But knowing Meghan, it’s not something she’s going to have the patience – or skill – to maintain.”
With products ranging from jam and coffee to wallpaper and pet shampoo, Meghan aims to break into the lifestyle market, debuting her wares at two major American shopping centers near Dallas and Philadelphia, as well as Netflix’s new retail locations.
Meghan Markle’s Branding Setbacks and Rebranding Struggles
Meghan’s road to reinvention hasn’t been smooth. Her previous brand attempt, American Riviera Orchard (ARO), floundered after trademark issues prevented it from expanding beyond Santa Barbara.
Now rebranded as As Ever, she announced the change with an Instagram video filmed in her Montecito garden, referencing the legal setbacks that forced the pivot. Yet, even under its new name, the venture has faced additional hurdles, raising fresh doubts about its success.
Netflix’s Uncertain Support
Meanwhile, her lucrative Netflix contract, originally valued at $100 million, is nearing expiration, with no guarantees of renewal.
A source said, “If Meghan’s show is a massive hit and she sells tons of products off the back of it then maybe Netflix will reconsider but at this stage it’s all about them supporting her show and then quietly letting the contract run its course.”
After the Spotify fallout, which saw Simmons openly ridicule Meghan and Harry as opportunists, another failed project could spell the end of her high-profile media career.
For now, the Duchess of Sussex finds herself at a crossroads.
