Meghan Markle criticised over As Ever gift box to influencer
Meghan Markle has been criticised in a new column after sending a luxury gift package from her As Ever brand to an online supporter accused of posting harsh comments about members of the Royal Family. The piece, published on Wednesday night, claims the gift was sent to influencer The Notorious JTB, also known as John Tyron, who has previously directed criticism at Prince William and Princess Kate on social media.
Express.co.uk alleged that the influencer has posted remarks describing the Prince and Princess of Wales as having “zero backbone” in response to a statement linked to the Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor scandal, and questioned why the Duchess of Sussex would send a PR package to someone who publicly attacks her husband’s family.
The column, written by Deputy Showbiz Editor Rebecca Jones, argues the move could be either a failure to vet recipients or a deliberate message. It also points out that the Duchess has previously spoken about standing against bullying, making the alleged choice of recipient particularly controversial in the context of online abuse.
The criticism comes amid ongoing scrutiny of the Duchess’s personal branding efforts, including recent coverage of Meghan Markle sharing a candle ritual at her Montecito home as part of her lifestyle positioning in the US.
The opinion piece concludes that the backlash is likely to be felt by Prince Harry, arguing that while he may not be involved in As Ever’s marketing list, public perception will inevitably connect the controversy back to his relationship with the Royal Family.
