Meghan Markle’s Hollywood Dream Turns Into a Kardashian-Sized Reality Check

Meghan Markle’s career trajectory, once imagined as a sleek, strategic rise, increasingly resembles a free fall. Not long ago, she had it all: prestige, influence, and a global platform that most celebrities could only dream of. Today, her weekend highlight was an Instagram story from a Kardashian. Not even about her. Not a single mention of her name.

All the drama, the controversy, the carefully curated narrative about racism in the British royal family, the public exposés, and her declared mission to “redefine” royalty—all of it now culminates in a minor Instagram story that barely acknowledges her existence. It’s a moment that highlights a truth that is impossible to ignore: Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, has officially joined the Kardashian club—not in fame, not in fortune, but in desperation for relevance.

The “As Ever” Brand Gamble

The launch of Meghan’s lifestyle brand, as ever, was meant to mark her Hollywood power move. On paper, it had all the right ingredients: luxury branding, a timeless name, and an aesthetic that suggested sophistication. The hope was for a high-profile, buzz-generating debut that would cement her place as a serious entrepreneur in Los Angeles.

Initially, curiosity worked in her favor. The novelty of her first solo project drew eyes and attention. But reality failed to match the hype. Sales slowed, the media buzz dissipated, and as ever’s name wasn’t trending for the right reasons. Overnight, Meghan went from “former royal and global influencer” to another celebrity attempting to break into Hollywood with no real strategy beyond her title.

Enter the Kardashians. The plan was textbook celebrity PR: target the biggest social media magnets in the game. With over a billion combined followers, even a single Kardashian endorsement could flood her online store with orders. Megan knew the Kardashian effect was a proven sales machine. And so, carefully curated gift baskets were sent to the entire Kardashian-Jenner family—products arranged perfectly to scream luxury, packaged photogenically, designed to dominate Instagram feeds. It was less a gift than a marketing pitch disguised as generosity.

The Kardashian Effect… or Lack Thereof

Here’s where the gamble unraveled. The Kardashians didn’t bite. There were no unboxing videos, no captions thanking Meghan, no tags promoting as ever. The only possible acknowledgment came from Khloe Kardashian, whose vague Instagram story looked more like filler content than an intentional plug. No name, no brand mention, no visible excitement.

In Hollywood, silence often stings more than criticism. It signals that your presence is not significant enough to merit attention. In Meghan’s case, the absence of a tag transformed what was meant to be a strategic PR win into a subtle public snub. Khloe’s decision wasn’t an oversight. The Kardashian-Jenner family operates with precision: every post, every story, every product drop is curated and deliberate. If Meghan’s brand wasn’t tagged, it was intentional—a message that her products, and by extension her influence, weren’t worth elevating.

This is a critical misstep in branding. In the influencer world, a tag is the equivalent of a public handshake. It signals validation and ensures millions of followers see and engage with the content. Without it, the post is effectively invisible. For Meghan, this should have been a moment of brand amplification. Instead, it became a subtle but humiliating reminder of where she stands in Hollywood’s hierarchy: on the outside, chasing a seat at the table she hasn’t earned.

Regifting and Miscommunication

Compounding the embarrassment is the theory that Meghan’s baskets may not have even reached their intended recipient. In celebrity circles, regifting is common. PR packages often get passed around to friends, assistants, or family members. By the time the basket landed in Khloe Kardashian’s hands, the story behind it—and the original intent—might have been completely lost. A gift meant to convey exclusivity and sophistication could have ended up looking like an afterthought.

Hollywood insiders see these things clearly. Authenticity sells. If a product or gesture feels like a shortcut or an opportunistic move, audiences notice immediately. Meghan’s luxury basket, carefully crafted and designed to impress, risked being interpreted as a shallow, desperate attempt to buy relevance.

Hypocrisy and Celebrity Alliances

The optics are striking. Meghan, who publicly accused the British royal family of showing concern about her child’s skin tone, a claim that ignited one of the most explosive moments of her Oprah interview, was now courting a family with its own history of racially tinged controversies and PR firestorms. Critics are quick to point out the hypocrisy. If Meghan truly stood by her principles, aligning herself with the Kardashians, given their public controversies around race and cultural appropriation, doesn’t make sense. Yet Hollywood relevance, it seems, trumps principle.

This isn’t just about a missed marketing opportunity—it’s a symbolic moment. Meghan’s pivot from royal critique to seeking approval from reality TV royalty underscores a pattern: her focus has shifted from principled advocacy to personal relevance in Hollywood circles. Her alleged moral high ground now contrasts sharply with a desire for attention and validation from influencers she’s spent years distancing herself from in moral terms.

Work Ethic vs. Shortcut Culture

The real lesson here is the glaring contrast in work ethic. The Kardashians, despite their glamorized public image, are relentless behind the scenes. From early morning photoshoots to late-night product meetings, every storyline and collaboration is part of a calculated plan. Meghan, in contrast, relies heavily on splashy moments and the residual glow of her former title. She favors scarcity marketing and occasional product drops over a sustained, strategic grind.

The result is predictable. While the Kardashians have cultivated year-round visibility and a loyal following capable of driving billions in revenue, Meghan’s approach prioritizes optics over substance. Her brand lacks the community and authenticity necessary to thrive in a crowded lifestyle market. Sporadic posts and PR pushes are no substitute for consistent engagement and demonstrable influence.

The Reality of Hollywood Ambitions

Meghan’s journey is not just a failed PR experiment; it’s a cautionary tale. She skipped the slow grind of building credibility in the influencer space and attempted to fast-track her way to the top. In the world of Hollywood branding, shortcuts rarely pay off. Titles and past fame may open doors, but they do not earn the respect and attention necessary to sustain a brand.

The launch of as ever sold out initially, driven by curiosity. But subsequent releases failed to maintain momentum. Without a loyal customer base, limited edition marketing tactics can only carry a brand so far. By contrast, the Kardashians have built empires through consistent effort, demonstrating that influence is a long-term game, not a series of opportunistic stunts.

The Final Verdict

Ultimately, Meghan’s gift basket saga exposes a stark reality: she’s chasing relevance without the infrastructure, work ethic, or community to sustain it. Her brand’s association with the Kardashians, a family she likely admires for their visibility and influence, highlights her desire to shortcut the process. The Kardashian silence serves as a brutal reality check—a reminder that in Hollywood, respect and exposure are earned, not gifted.

For someone who once had the potential to influence global conversations and had the opportunity to interact with world leaders, her current high point being an Instagram story from a Kardashian is a humbling, even embarrassing moment. What was meant to be a strategic play for Hollywood dominance instead reads as a desperate bid for recognition from people who operate on a level Meghan has yet to achieve.

In the end, Meghan Markle’s journey from royal advocate to Hollywood aspirant illustrates a simple truth: influence, like respect, cannot be purchased. It must be earned through consistent effort, authenticity, and a clear understanding of the ecosystem in which you hope to thrive. The as ever gift basket debacle is more than a PR misstep—it is a microcosm of Meghan’s broader struggle to navigate fame on her own terms, and a sobering reminder that even those with titles and past glories can falter when ambition outpaces strategy.

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