Meghan Markle is already training her 4-year-old daughter Lilibet in the art of building a business—even as she continues to expand her own fledgling lifestyle company within the walls of the $14.65 million Montecito mansion she shares with Prince Harry and their kids.
The 44-year-old former actress turned burgeoning lifestyle guru officially launched her brand, As Ever, in April with the release of a small collection of luxury pantry items, including $12 jars of fruit spread, $15 “flower sprinkles,” and $28 honey.
Now, in a new interview with Harper’s Bazaar, Meghan has revealed how she welcomed her youngest child into that process—much of which was carried out from her home in California, where she and Harry have been living since 2020.
Though Meghan’s life is full of luxuries—not least her designer wardrobe and the aforementioned mansion—she told the outlet that one of the things she prizes most about her daily routine is the ability to work from home, where she can share glimpses at her business with her children.
“My office is right by the kitchen and I love that I can work from home,” she said. “It’s a great luxury. [Lili] comes and sits on my lap when I’m in the middle of the meeting, whether it’s about [profit and loss] for my brand, or it’s about something creative.”
While Meghan and Harry have only been living in Montecito for a few years, the area played a significant role in the creation of As Ever, which touts an array of ingredients sourced from in and around their home, including Santa Barbara sage—which grows in their garden—and fruit preserves that began as experiments inside the couple’s kitchen.
Meghan told Harper’s Bazaar that she hopes watching her build her business from scratch inside their home will teach her children a valuable lesson: “the value of being brave.”
“They saw it when the jam was just a pot on the stove, bubbling,” she says of how Archie, 6, and Lili have watched the evolution of As Ever. “When you’re young, I think you are a little bit more fearless. As we get older, we lose some of that.”
As for her relationship with Harry, 41, Meghan was quick to gush about how supportive and loving her partner has been, gushing: “He loves me so boldly, fully, and he also has a different perspective because he sees media that I wouldn’t.
“No one in the world loves me more than him, so I know he’s always going to make sure that he has my back.”
Meghan further praised Harry’s “childlike wonder and playfulness,” explaining that it was one of the things that first drew her to him—while praising his ability to bring that side out in her, too.
Yet the mother of two confessed that she has also had to put very careful “boundaries” in place since the start of her relationship, when she was very quickly thrust into the glare of the global spotlight as a result of her romance with the British royal.
It is a tactic she felt she had to develop to protect herself from the brutal scrutiny she faced, explaining: “I think my boundaries became stronger once I came into the public eye in this very …” before struggling to come up with a description for her dizzying fame.
“I could think of any adjective to fill the blank. And it would probably work. You find different ways to protect yourself, whether that’s self-preservation or it’s just growing up.”
To that end, the outlet noted that Meghan’s “circle of trust is tight,” made up of a small group of trusted friends and loved ones, many of whom she “reconnected” with after moving back to California.
Among those mentioned are best friend Kelly McKee Zajfen and tennis pro Serena Williams, who described Meghan as being “so smart,” noting the Duchess of Sussex is the person she most regularly turns to for parenting advice.
Meghan’s wide-ranging interview with the glossy magazine comes just one day after she released the trailer for a holiday special episode of her Netflix lifestyle show, “With Love, Meghan,” in which she is seen indulging in all manner of festive crafts and cooking sessions with a host of celebrity guests.
Ahead of the release of the trailer, the mother of two shared further insights into her Thanksgiving Day plans with Prince Harry and their two children in the latest issue of the As Ever newsletter.
Meghan shared some “sage” advice about how to prepare a unique Thanksgiving meal, revealing how she and her family have turned to their own gardens to source “magical” ingredients for their turkey dinner.
The mother of two highlighted one key ingredient that she plans to use for the autumnal holiday this year: sage, which she noted is found growing throughout the lush gardens at the Sussexes’ property.
“When it comes to our founder’s favorites, the delicate, herbaceous flavor of sage ranks high on the list,” the As Ever email read.
“Why, you ask? Well, those photos you’ve seen this year on our Instagram of Meghan walking through what seems like lavender, with its gorgeous purple hue, actually share the beauty of flowering sage (Fun fact: the varietal is called Santa Barbara).”
The newsletter went on to detail scenic walks around their garden with Archie and Lili, and their two dogs, revealing Harry’s main job: checking on the bees that produce the honey for Meghan’s brand, which she has infused with—you guessed it!—sage.
“Those strolls, with Archie and Lili running in tow, her husband checking on the bees, Pula chasing the ball with Mia trying to keep up—those were the sun-drenched moments that made an everyday walk something a bit more magical. And that sage, that purple, that scent around the garden, was always there in the background.”
So, Meghan began experimenting with the herb, “drying all the different varieties she was growing,” and using it to infuse everything from oils to honey.
“Meghan started drying all the different varieties of sage she was growing, bundling it as gifts, cooking with it, infusing it into oils, and indulging in the sage-infused honey her bees were busy harvesting,” the newsletter went on.
It was during this process that the former “Suits” star began “dreaming up” the As Ever holiday collection—which features the $32 jar of sage honey, as well as $64 candles, and a $16 spiced cider mulling spice kit.
“Meghan imagined what it would taste like to have a sage honey drizzled on her Thanksgiving turkey,” the newsletter revealed. “And tah-dah! Here we are: a stunning sage honey, aromatic and earthy, epicurean in its depth of flavor and elegant simplicity, inspired by the treats she enjoys at her home with her family.”
So followed Meghan’s recipe for a “sage honey glaze,” which uses one-quarter cup of her brand’s sage honey, as well as turkey or chicken broth, dijon mustard, salt, pepper, red chili flakes, and lemon.
“Whisk together warm stock, honey, salt and pepper, and Dijon,” the recipe advises.”Add lemon to taste, and add extra flavor with crushed red chili flakes (hot honey, honey) or minced fresh herbs.
“Brush over your turkey once it’s fully roasted to add a final finish of taste (and a glistening glow) to your pièce de résistance.”