A Serene Garden Video — With a Price Tag
Meghan Markle has done it again: turned a quiet afternoon in her Montecito garden into a full-blown internet debate. The Duchess of Sussex, 44, shared a new behind-the-scenes video on Thursday featuring her daughter, Princess Lilibet, while promoting the latest product from her As Ever brand — and reactions could not have been more divided.
In the clip, Meghan is seen arranging flowers into vases in the garden of her California home. In the background, four-year-old Lilibet can be heard laughing and running around before stepping into frame. The young princess leans in to whisper something to her mother, prompting a delighted response: "Yes, I think you can. Let's go," before the pair run off together across the lawn.
The Details Fans Couldn't Miss
Eagle-eyed viewers quickly noted that Lilibet appeared in a pale green sundress from luxury brand Cult Gaia — a designer whose children's pieces routinely sell for well over $100 — with her long red hair flowing down her back. Prince Archie, six, was also part of the moment, though not visible on camera, when Meghan asked off-screen: "Are you having fun, my love?"
Meghan captioned the post: "Mama's little helpers. BTS of our shoot for @aseverofficial at our home." For many viewers, the scene was everything they hoped for from the Duchess — calm, picturesque, and full of warmth. Comments described the footage as "serene and idyllic," praising the sense of "pure love and joy" between mother and children.
The Product Behind the Pretty Pictures
The video was, of course, an advertisement. It promoted the newest As Ever release: a limited-edition "Garden Tea Bloom Box," priced at a head-turning $363, excluding shipping and taxes. Created in collaboration with upscale florist High Camp Society, the box includes premium flowers such as gardenias and peonies, a jar of sage honey, and twelve sachets of peppermint tea.
According to the As Ever website, the flowers ship separately to "ensure quality and freshness upon arrival," and delivery is currently limited to customers within the United States. The brand has leaned into the luxury positioning since its rebrand, positioning itself somewhere between artisanal grocery and high-end gifting.
The Backlash: 'Out of Touch'
Not everyone was charmed. Almost as soon as the price became known, criticism flooded in. Detractors called the product "pretentious" and "unrealistic," arguing that a nearly $400 box of flowers and tea reveals how far the Duchess's brand has drifted from the everyday households she claims to speak to. Others pointed to the irony of marketing "simple garden living" through a price tag most families would never spend on florals, while a toddler in designer clothing frolicked through the shoot.
"The aesthetic is lovely," one critic wrote, echoing a common sentiment, "but the price tells you exactly who this is for — and it isn't most of us." Some commentators went further, suggesting the idyllic imagery doubles as a soft-flex of wealth, with the children serving as brand ambassadors long before they can consent to the role.
The Defense: It's a Luxury Brand, and That's Allowed
Supporters pushed back with equal force. As Ever, they noted, has never pretended to be a budget label — its jams, teas, and flower kits sit deliberately in the premium gifting market, competing with brands that charge similar prices without generating a fraction of the outrage. Fans also argued that one video of a mother and daughter in a garden hardly constitutes a crime, and that Lilibet's Cult Gaia dress was likely a gift or loan, as is standard at children's photoshoots.
Several commenters observed that celebrities routinely sell far more expensive products with far less charm, and that the intensity of the criticism says more about the public's complicated relationship with Meghan than about a box of peonies.
Retail analysts noted that the price point, while steep for casual shoppers, matches comparable luxury florist offerings: high-end bloom boxes from established gifting brands routinely retail between $200 and $500, particularly around holidays. What As Ever has done, they argue, is apply the standard playbook of direct-to-consumer luxury — limited editions, founder-led storytelling, and aspiration — with a founder whose every move generates its own press cycle. Whether that cycle is a net positive depends entirely on the audience, but the numbers suggest the controversy is not hurting: the limited-edition box reportedly moved quickly after launch, and the brand's mailing list has continued to grow with each viral moment.
Love It or Loathe It, It Sold
Whether the Bloom Box reads as a dreamy slice of Montecito life or an overpriced fantasy, the strategy is working exactly as designed. The product reportedly generated strong early interest, and the video — positive and negative comments alike — has kept As Ever at the top of the conversation for days. In the attention economy, there is no such thing as bad engagement.
Meghan has not responded to the criticism, and history suggests she won't. The garden, the flowers, and the giggling little helper did their job. The only open question is how much the public will keep paying to watch — and whether $363 is the price of the box or simply the cost of being talked about.
