As the former co-host of the Royally Obsessed podcast, I’ve long rooted for Meghan Markle to succeed. Five years since her exit from official royal life in the U.K., 2025 marked the long-anticipated arrival of her As Ever brand. I’ll admit, I’ve shopped nearly every drop. But given the holiday season feels like the Super Bowl for entertaining, I was especially curious about her December offering. A mix of tried-and-true favorites (at long last, her raspberry spread has been restocked!) but also a bit of dabbling in the home space (enter a luxe candle or two), I couldn’t resist putting the latest collection to the test. It’s also perfect timing with Meghan’s Netflix holiday special, out this week. Now, without further ado, my favorites, ranked by number of crowns.
I Rated Everything in Meghan Markle’s ‘As Ever’ Holiday Collection, From 1 to 5 Crowns
It’s gorgeous—and also super giftable
I carried this trio of spreads (which come packaged in a fancy gift box or on their own for $36) home for Thanksgiving, where I walked around—tasting spoons in hand—allowing every dinner party guest to try them out.
What’s included: Meghan’s Raspberry, Orange Marmalade and Strawberry offerings, a mix of spreads from when As Ever first launched alongside some more recent varietals. (The orange marmalade debuted as part of a late-summer drop while the strawberry was originally part of a soft launch, sent exclusively to 50 of the Duchess of Sussex’s celeb friends.)
My royal review: As soon as I cracked each jar open for others—myself included—to indulge, I had regrets. Mainly, that I hadn’t ordered more of this totally giftable set. The packaging is quite luxe while guest after guest found themselves reaching to double dip. (I made them get a new spoon each time!) Each spread is one that you’ll want to savor, but they each also pair so beautifully with cheese and crackers, on toast, even with something sweet like vanilla ice cream. (Yes, I tried.)
I burned this hand-poured scent over the course of a week for up to two hours at a time. The directions advise: “Allow the wax to fully melt across the surface on the first burn for a smooth, even glow each time you light your candle.” (Advice that I applied in order to avoid a tunnel effect at the center.)
What’s included: The scent is a mix of water lotus, sandalwood and California poppy that is delicate and earthy. The vessel that the candle comes in has some weight to it—and also makes for something that can be re-purposed easily when finished. I mostly love the naming convention Meghan used for this product: No 084 is a subtle nod to her birthday (August 4, 1981), which the As Ever website calls out.
My royal review: The price point of this new arrival initially caught me off guard—but a quick scan of hand-poured 8.5-ounce luxury candles in the marketplace shows that this is right in range. In fact, it’s on the lower end (many high-end offerings go for up to $500). That makes As Ever’s foray into the space rather reasonable. After testing, I’m a fan of this delicate scent. Of course, all fragrance is personal, so here, I’ll admit that I’m more partial to No. 519 (see below). But in terms of performance, this candle burns beautifully, looks elegant and is easy to maintain. (Definitely something that works as a coffee table centerpiece.)
Similar to the above, I followed Meghan’s instructions and let this burn to the edges on first use. I also tested over the course of a week with the longest burn time being a little over three hours.
What’s included: This candle—No. 519, which is a nod to Meghan and Prince Harry’s royal wedding date back on May 19, 2018—is a mix of Moroccan mint, cardamom and tea leaves. The Duchess of Sussex labels this as her brand’s “signature scent” on the box. It also feels decidedly more holiday.
My royal review: I fell in love with this scent which came wafting out before I even opened the box. It’s crisp and clean, but not to cloying. It’s described on the As Ever website as evoking “a day in the English countryside” or “a long walk in the garden.” I love the woodsy undertones (courtesy of the cardamom), but also the brightness of the mint. This is a candle that feels right for the season, but also something you could burn year-round.
Somehow, in my efforts to keep tabs on As Ever’s product drops, I’ve continually missed out on the honey, which tends to sell out as quickly as Meghan’s long-coveted flower sprinkles. (Both are now back in stock, but the jars of honey come in this giftable keepsake box, which offers two unique flavors that are different from her sage-infused harvest, sold individually.) As for trying it out? My 7-year-old happens to be obsessed with honey right now, courtesy of an in-school beekeeping demo, which made it the perfect time for a taste test.
What’s included: This two-jar gift set includes Meghan’s Wildflower and Orange Blossom honey, both 100 percent California-harvested.
My royal review: The wildflower honey skews a bit floral while the orange blossom is citrusy and fresh. This surprises me but the orange blossom is a favorite though the wildflower is delicious with my go-to breakfast of Greek yogurt and granola, too. I’ll add that my honey-loving 7-year-old (who also happens to be incredibly picky about food) loves the Wildflower honey so much that he’s eating it by the spoonful.
Over the summer, I tried Meghan’s rosé, but I was super intrigued by the addition of bubbly—but also thrilled at the timing with the holiday season. I had to find the right occasion to test it out, so I cracked it with friends who were visiting so that I had a range of opinions with a variety of palettes testing this one out.
What’s included: Available on its own, but also sold with a special wooden gift crate (for an extra $38), this crisp varietal is more citrusy than sweet. It’s crafted from a mix of Napa Valley pinot noir and chardonnay grapes that get rounded out with notes of green apple, citrus and white peach.
My royal review: The overall consensus was that everyone enjoyed Meghan’s brand of bubbly. It was light, effervescent and paired well with a series of hors d’oeuvres (mainly, cheese and crackers for the purposes of my taste test, but definitely a winning combo). It’s quite delicate and, overall, a very fancy-feeling pour. My only hang-up: The price point.
Yes, this comes in the keepsake trio of spreads, but at just $12, I’d be remiss if I didn’t spend a bit more time celebrating its re-release.
What’s included: This is Meghan’s signature offering—the one she hung her hat on and the item we were most eager to taste test when she first announced As Ever. The raspberries make it sweet, but what’s interesting is the hint of lemon that comes through. It’s also got a texture to it, but is just as easily poured as it is spread.
My royal review: There’s a reason Meghan’s raspberry spread aced numerous taste tests (and quickly sold out) upon release. It is so light, so flavorful, so wow-worthy—I couldn’t help trying to find ways to add it to every meal. I even let my son add it to his peanut butter and jelly once and he was thrilled. To me, it elevates nearly everything it’s added to and feels like you went that extra step to dress up your dish.
