We’ll probably never know how much money the Duchess of Sussex has “left on the table” in the past five years. As much as the royalist critics scream over everything she does, Meghan could have been making millions from fashion, skincare and lifestyle endorsements all of this time. I wanted that for her too – I wanted her to get a fashion contract or become a L’Oreal ambassador or something. But Meghan had a different plan and I admire how she’s stuck to it. Rather than aligning herself with major brands, Meghan has used her own profile to give attention to smaller, female-founded companies and labels. She’s invested in several of those businesses too. And as of this week, Meghan has a ShopMy page in which people can buy from her “curated” list of shoes, bags, blouses, sweaters, jeans and pants. Meghan also profits from this from affiliate links/commissions. It’s so smart. Obviously, the British media despises it.
Meghan Markle has been labelled as ‘tacky’ amid emerging discomfort around the Duchess seemingly using her children to promote business ventures. Those in royal circles are said to be concerned about Meghan’s increasing use of the couple’s children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, to promote her business. Yesterday was no exception, with Meghan posting a glossy picture of her cuddling them on both her personal and official As Ever sites.
Just one hour after posting the [photo with her children], she revealed she now has a ‘ShopMy page’ which experts say she is likely to cash in on. It is expected she will rake in ‘millions’ with her online shop selling fashion items she endorses in a commercial tie-up. One expert called it ‘tacky and desperate’.
Speaking to The Sun, royal author and journalist Phil Dampier said: ‘Nothing happens by accident and she would have thought this through and knows putting a photo of her children out at the same time as her clothing line would get maximum publicity. It begs the question whether Meghan is exploiting her two children who remain in the line of succession. I’d expect the Palace to take a dim view of this.’
A disclaimer on her ShopMy website reads: ‘Please note, some products may contain commissionable links.’
‘She could potentially earn millions from this and is probably earning a commission on every sale she makes,’ money and business coach Maddy Alexander-Grout told MailOnline. She added: ‘If you take on average how many followers she has (2.6 million) and how much engagement she has, I would imagine based on her following that she will have thousands and thousands of people buying these things and she will be making a fair amount of that. She is going to make a fair amount based on what the clothes are worth. If she gets say 15% off a shirt that’s £128, she will be making £19.20. She will be selling thousands of those and could be making at least £19k from one linen shirt.’
“Affiliate links and commissions from a ShopMy page” are not going to be the biggest revenue-generator for Meghan. Don’t get me wrong, I’m sure she’ll pick up some nice checks and she’ll show a lot of brands that she can move serious product with her endorsement. But again, she would make so much more money if she actually signed on as a brand ambassador to Louis Vuitton or Saint Laurent or whatever. She’s not doing that – she’s just curating a ShopMy page and picking up some relatively modest commissions. Now, do I also think a lot of brands are going to beg Meghan to include them on her next ShopMy page? For sure.
As for the British tantrum… THIS is so tacky: “It begs the question whether Meghan is exploiting her two children who remain in the line of succession. I’d expect the Palace to take a dim view of this.” The same two children were evicted from their British home by their dogs–t grandfather, the king? The same two children who aren’t even guaranteed security if they visited the UK with their parents? The same two children whom the king has repeatedly shown he has no interest in? Those two children, who are being raised by their loving parents in California?
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Meghan’s IG.
