EXCLUSIVE: Meghan Markle Slapped With Brutal Warning Her Goop-Copycat Lifestyle Brand Won't Last Past 2026 Unless She Makes One Massive Business Change
Meghan Markle is facing bleak and blunt warnings from marketing experts about the future of her brand.
Jan. 12 2026, Published 6:04 p.m. ET
Meghan Markle is facing bleak and blunt warnings from marketing experts that her push to reinvent herself as a lifestyle entrepreneur could stall by 2026 unless she makes one huge decisive shift in how she runs her business, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
The Duchess of Sussex, 44, has spent the past year reshaping her post-royal career around personal branding and media projects.
Experts Warn Meghan's Brand Is Losing Direction
Meghan Markle launched her lifestyle brand As Ever.
In 2025 she launched her lifestyle venture As Ever and fronted her latest Netflix series With Love, Meghan.
Sources told us she is now planning to focus more tightly on As Ever in 2026, with a cookbook said to be in development and expected to be released in spring.
But communications experts said the strategy risks losing momentum without a clearer sense of purpose and structure.
One industry source said: "If a lifestyle brand doesn't clearly express what kind of life it represents, it has very limited potential.
"Meghan needs to show its 'why' and why it contributes to the planet. It currently totally lacks any corporate social responsibility element."
Marketing experts warned her brand lacks a clear purpose.
The expert also warned if Markle stays on the same path, the coming year could look much like the last, until her business folds.
They said: "If nothing changes from a PR standpoint, the pattern is likely to repeat itself, and her business is likely to fail.
"Inconsistent releases and unclear positioning may keep her in the public eye, but they do little to establish a brand with lasting strength and longevity."
Cookbook Could Be Make Or Break Moment
Meghan is planning a cookbook for her next release.
The expert also said if As Ever is meant to be Markle's central professional focus, it also needs to be run with greater discipline.
They added: "If As Ever is meant to be central to her career, it has to be run like a serious business.
"That requires proper planning and organization. Occasional launches can work, but not when they are followed by long gaps or mixed messages.
"There needs to be a defined schedule, a coherent narrative, and a clearer idea of the values behind the brand, not just its look."
A potential cookbook from Markle could offer a turning point if handled carefully, a marketing consultant told us.
They said: "A cookbook could resonate with her audience, but only if it is framed in the right way.
"It would need to move beyond a typical influencer release and be grounded in personal narrative, drawing on family traditions, food rituals, and cultural background."
UK Return Hinges On Security Ruling
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Meghan prepared to attend a U.K. event pending security approval.
The expert added Markle's success would depend on flawless execution.
They said: "Handled with genuine warmth, it could help recast her image as more rooted and relatable.
"But every element would have to be tightly managed, from the look and feel to how it is introduced to the public.
"Our advice would be to stop chasing isolated opportunities and instead focus on shaping a clear story, a steady pace, and a defined direction."
The business debate comes as Markle is also weighing a possible return to the U.K. for the first time in four years.
She is expected to attend an Invictus Games event in Birmingham on July 10, pending security approval. It would mark her first visit to the U.K. since Queen Elizabeth II's funeral in September 2022.
A source said security considerations remain central to the decision, with the outcome of Prince Harry's legal challenge over taxpayer-funded protection when he is in Britain expected later this month.
The review is being conducted by Ravec, a committee of police, royal, and government officials, and could determine whether Markle feels able to return to the U.K. alongside her husband.
