Meghan Markle Accused Of 'Merching The Kiddos' On Late Queen's 100th Birthday Celebration

Meghan Markle has been accused of 'merching the kiddos' after unveiling two new candles named after Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet through her As Ever brand in the United States on Monday, hours before Britain marked what would have been Queen Elizabeth II's 100th birthday.

21 April would have marked Queen Elizabeth II's 100th birthday, with King Charles paying tribute to his 'darling Mama' and senior royals honouring her memory, while Meghan Markle unveiled new As Ever products ahead of US Mother's Day on 10 May, quickly splitting opinion online between supporters who saw a straightforward launch and critics who cast it as a snub to the Royal Family. There has been no official palace response, and the backlash remains limited to social media.

How Meghan Markle's New Candles Sparked 'Merching The Kiddos' Claims

The latest As Ever launch centres on two scented candles tied directly to the Sussex children's birthdays. In a post on the brand's Instagram page, Meghan's team announced: 'Introducing two new candles beautifully crafted by our founder and named in honour of her children's birthdates.'

The first, No. 604, is named for Princess Lilibet's birthdate and is described as 'floral and radiant,' with notes of amber, water lily and santal. The second, No. 506, is named for Prince Archie's birthdate and is described as 'warm and grounding,' with notes of ginger, neroli and cashmere. Both are due to go on sale on 22 April as part of a Mother's Day collection.

On the surface, it is the kind of sentimental branding common in celebrity lifestyle ventures, with family milestones turned into products. What intensified the reaction was the timing, with the launch landing as Britain reflected on Queen Elizabeth II's life and legacy.

On Reddit, one critic put it bluntly: 'As ever, merching the kiddos on the late Queen's 100th birthday. Utterly disgusting.' Another claimed the clash of dates was intentional rather than careless, writing: 'It is 100% about trolling the [Royal Family] on [the late Queen's] 100th birthday. She doesn't care if she sells a single candle.'

Others focused on the use of royal titles in the branding. 'Remove the titles and let's see how she promotes her products after the titles are removed,' one commenter wrote, arguing that the references to 'Prince' and 'Princess' were central to the appeal.

For some critics, the use of Lilibet's name on the day the late Queen was being remembered felt particularly provocative. 'This is the absolute breaking point. Enough is enough,' another wrote. 'Seeing Lilibet on her As Ever BS on the Queen's birthday?!?!?!'

Fans Push Back As As Ever Leans Into Sussex Storytelling

The response was not entirely negative. Supporters argued there was nothing inappropriate about Meghan drawing on her children for a Mother's Day release, even if the timing invited scrutiny.

'Nice to see Meghan announcing new products releasing on April 22 ahead of Mother's Day,' one supporter wrote, treating the launch as standard brand business aimed at an American audience. Another posted: 'I'm so excited for this!! Can't wait to get my candles, matchbox, & chocolate.'

That divide has become familiar in almost every Sussex related row since Harry and Meghan stepped back from royal duties. Critics see each commercial move as another example of Meghan trading on royal connections, while supporters view it as a mother using her family story in the same way many public figures do.

It is also notable that the As Ever announcement made no mention of the Queen's centenary. The controversy rests entirely on timing and interpretation, not on any direct comment from Meghan herself.

A Centenary In Britain, A Mother's Day Launch In America

The accusation that Meghan was 'merching the kiddos' on Queen Elizabeth's 100th birthday depends almost entirely on optics. The contrast was easy to draw: in Britain, the royal family marked the centenary with tributes and remembrance, while in California Meghan's brand promoted a new lifestyle drop.

From Meghan's perspective, the focus appeared to be on the US market and Mother's Day on 10 May. But in royal coverage, timing is rarely treated as neutral, especially where the Sussexes are concerned.

That is what keeps this story alive. For critics, the launch was another example of Meghan using royal names and titles while claiming distance from the institution. For supporters, it was simply a product release built around her children, with the backlash fuelled by hostility rather than evidence of intent.

The Palace has not commented on the candles or the online reaction. Officially, there is no sign the royal household intends to engage with accusations that Meghan was sending a message from across the Atlantic.

Whether the timing was deliberate or merely unfortunate is something only Meghan and her team can answer. What is clear is that even a modest product launch involving Archie and Lilibet can still ignite a wider argument about titles, branding and the lingering sensitivities around Queen Elizabeth's memory.