Duchess of Sussex reveals the reason behind rebranding American Riviera Orchard to As Ever in her podcast.
Meghan Markle is finally addressing the buzz surrounding the name change of her lifestyle brand. In the latest episode of her podcast, Confessions of a Female Founder, released on April 22, the Duchess of Sussex opened up about her decision to rebrand from American Riviera Orchard to As Ever.
The podcast episode featured a candid conversation with Kadi Lee, founder of Highbrow Hippie, where Meghan shared behind-the-scenes details of the rebranding journey. She revealed that As Ever had been a name she secured back in 2022, long before launching the brand publicly.
Meghan Markle Says ‘American Riviera Orchard’ Felt Like a “Word Salad”
Explaining the shift, Meghan said she initially envisioned American Riviera as a broad concept with sub-brands under it. “I liked American Riviera as an umbrella,” she said, “and maybe have the ‘Orchard’ really small. But when that wasn’t feasible, it suddenly became this word salad. I didn’t love that so much.”
Ultimately, she opted to move forward with the cleaner, more intentional name As Ever — a name she had quietly protected for some time. “It had sort of been under wraps,” Meghan shared, adding that she and her team kept a low profile to build the brand away from public scrutiny.
Meghan Markle Highlights Importance of “Quiet Period” Before Brand Launch
The Duchess reflected on how valuable that time away from the spotlight was. “It was really helpful after spending so many years working on something, building it, and navigating the pivots you have to take,” she explained.
Her new brand, As Ever, was officially unveiled in February 2025 through a casual selfie-style video message. The launch generated significant buzz, with the first collection of products selling out within an hour of going live on her website on April 2.
As Ever by Meghan Markle Gains Instant Success
Despite the early controversy surrounding the name change, As Ever is off to a strong start. Meghan’s transparency on her podcast and the brand’s immediate sell-out success have solidified its place as one of the most talked-about celebrity lifestyle ventures of 2025.
