Meghan Markle is facing a fresh wave of criticism after she andNetflix announced on Friday that their partnership on her lifestyle brand As Ever was ending, with some social media users reacting harshly to the Duchess of Sussex's statement about the split.
The separation was presented by both sides as a planned next step rather than a dramatic rupture. Netflix said Meghan's interest in 'elevating everyday moments in beautiful yet simple ways' had helped shape As Ever and added that she would now continue building the brand independently, while a spokesperson for Meghan said the company had seen 'meaningful and rapid growth' and was 'ready to stand on its own.'
Meghan Markle and Netflix both responded to speculation that the streaming platform is no longer partnering with the Duchess of Sussex on her lifestyle brand As ever.https://t.co/3XhKBRwjqrpic.twitter.com/ILEvKoqbLT
The difficulty for Meghan Markle is not simply that the partnership has ended. It is that the language around the announcement left space for critics to decide the tone for themselves, and some of them did so with all the subtlety of a brick.
REPORT: Netflix Gives Megan Markle The Boot: 'Meghan will continue growing the brand'https://t.co/AMWqzowXDg
Several users on X seized on Meghan's side of the messaging and contrasted it with Netflix's more polished farewell. One wrote that Netflix had 'signed off with class' while Meghan had chosen to 'act like trash,' reviving the old habit of referring to her as Rachel, the name of her character inSuits.
Another mocked the claim that As Ever had grown quickly, suggesting that companies do not usually walk away from a successful venture out of generosity.
Netflix has backed out as an investor in As ever, the lifestyle brand from Meghan Markle.A Netflix spokesperson said: “Meghan’s passion for elevating everyday moments in beautiful yet simple ways inspired the creation of the As Ever brand, and we are glad to have played a role…pic.twitter.com/gJTRSqdgBw
Those responses were crude, but they were also revealing. Meghan has long inspired a kind of commentary that is less interested in business arrangements than in personal symbolism, and even a fairly standard corporate uncoupling is quickly reframed as evidence of vanity, delusion or failure.
A sixth critic quoted in the source article said she lived 'in a fantasy world with an enormous ego,' which is the sort of line that tells more about the culture of online pile-ons than it does about the mechanics of a brand partnership.
Source: International Business Times UK
