Not Again, Meghan — Now Markle's Tea Is At Center of 'Rip-Off' Bust-Up After Eagle-Eyed Fans Spot She's 'Slapping a 300% Mark-Up on Manufacturer's Bags'
Meghan Markle has been selling her new herbal tea range for three times the price, sparking another rip-off scandal.
June 26 2025, Published 7:30 p.m. ET
Meghan Markle is at the center of a fresh rip-off scandal after she was accused of selling her As Ever herbal tea for three times the price.
RadarOnline.com can reveal the Duchess of Sussex's tea, which costs $12 for 12 bags, sold out within minutes of being restocked on her As Ever website last week.
Extortionate Mark-Up
The Duchess has slapped a high price on her tea, but fans are still buying it.
But the royal has now been exposed for sourcing her ingredients from American firm The Republic of Tea, who sell its comparable tea for between $11.50 and $14 for 36 tea bags, meaning Meghan’s offerings will set you back three times as much.
Sources close to Markle confirm Republic of Tea is her supplier but insist her blend is "different" from what they offer.
Royal expert Margaret Holder said: "Customers are paying a considerable increase for Meghan's label.
"She is taking advantage of celebrity branding. But it's a case of Meghan Mark-up, not Meghan Markle."
Caught Out By Online Sleuths
Internet sleuths scoured the page source of the As Ever website tea and found the brand was listed as The Republic of Tea.
The Duchess restocked her Herbal Hibiscus Tea and Herbal Lemon Tea last Friday for $12 for 12 tea bags.
They sold out within hours, along with her $15 flower sprinkles and $28 limited edition orange blossom honey.
But internet sleuths scoured the page source of the As Ever website tea and found the brand was listed as The Republic of Tea.
Since it emerged online and on social media, the brand has been changed to "As Ever store."
The Republic of Tea sells a vast range of teas, including one branded from Netflix show Bridgerton and the TV series Downton Abbey.
Its headquarters are in California, but its factory is 2,000 miles away in Nashville, Illinois.
Wine Controversy
Markle is releasing her new wine range on what would have been Princess Diana's 64th birthday.
The booze is set to be available from July 1, which has raised eyebrows as it would have been Princess Diana's 64th birthday.
Ex-palace spokesman Dickie Arbiter, said: "I don't think we should be surprised that anything she does and as far as bringing out a wine, it's going to sell for something like £20 or 28 U.S. dollars. It's a lot of money.
"And if you're going to go into that sort of business, you've got to produce a lot of wine to make money. If her jam is anything to go by, it's going to be sold out in about ten minutes.
"How many bottles is she producing? Who's producing it? She's not a wine expert. So, you know why go into something that you probably know nothing about?"
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Markle also sparked controversy courtesy of her $12 jars of raspberry jam.
Markle has previously been criticized for selling her own brand of raspberry jam for $12, despite its poor reviews.
One source described the jam as "watery," and questioned how the product was shipped.
Taking to X, one user wrote: "If we hadn't known better, we'd have thought it melted during its expedited journey to us.
"When we stuck our spoon into Meghan's raspberry spread, its consistency dripped off the silverware like a sauce."
Another reviewer agreed in their own taste test, writing: "Small, expensive, runny texture and not that special. I think I will stick with my regular jam."
