Meghan Markle has sparked controversy after featuring her royal monogram on a notebook whilst advertising her lifestyle brand's Christmas range.
The 44-year-old shared footage on Tuesday afternoon showing herself at work, with a gold-embossed blue notebook displaying her royal cypher prominently positioned beside a £48 candle from her new festive collection.
The insignia, featuring the letter M topped with a crown, dates from her 2018 marriage to Prince Harry.
Despite stepping back from royal responsibilities in 2020 and relocating to Montecito with the Duke of Sussex and their children, the former working royal has drawn criticism for what detractors perceive as exploiting her monarchical associations to market her As Ever brand products.
Meghan Markle faces backlash for using royal monogram to promote Christmas range
|INSTAGRAM: @MEGHAN / GETTY
Social media users have expressed strong disapproval of the royal cypher display.
"Another example of Meghan putting her royal cypher on pretty much anything, you can see it on her notebook in the latest Instagram story," one X user commented.
Another critic suggested the royal connection was essential for the product's marketability: "I rather think that was the point. Pretty difficult to sell a candle for that price if it's not royal."
However, many fans came to Meghan's defence, with one writing: "I am sorry this story ended this way because she is brilliant and smart and she could have been an important part for the senior royals."
Meghan Markle's cypher was visible on her notebook
|INSTAGRAM: @MEGHAN
This marks not the initial instance of the Duchess displaying her royal insignia. She has previously dispatched correspondence on headed notepaper featuring her cypher to influencers and writers.
The former actress also wears a gold signet ring bearing both her and Harry's intertwined initials beneath a coronet, which she displayed at February's Invictus Games in Vancouver.
The couple's combined monogram was created after their 2018 marriage and appeared on their former Sussex Royal digital platforms.
Meghan's new festive range centres on the Signature Candle No. 519, priced at £48, which honours the date of her Windsor wedding to Prince Harry on May 19, 2018.
Meghan Markle's holiday collection is available on the As Ever website
|AS EVER
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Meghan Markle lives in Montecito with Harry and their two children | INSTAGRAM: @MEGHAN
According to the product description, the scent captures "the freshness of a day in the English countryside" and connects to the Duchess's "cherished memories" of her wedding day.
The Christmas collection extends beyond candles to include a £67 bottle of 2025 Vintage Napa Valley Brut and a £32 gift set featuring fruit spreads in strawberry, orange marmalade and raspberry flavours.
Additional offerings comprise £24 Sage Honey With Honeycomb, described as holding "a special place in Meghan's heart", alongside Hot Toddy and Spiced Cider Mulling Spice Kits, each retailing at £12.
The honey product reflects the Duchess's beekeeping hobby, though her personal hives are unlikely to yield sufficient quantities for commercial distribution.
Earlier packaging for individual fruit spreads attracted criticism for resembling perfume containers and excessive material use, prompting an apparent shift to boxed gift sets.