Meghan Markle’s Fourth of July Promo: Fans React to 'Basic' Charcuterie Board

The Royal Treatment: Meghan Markle's $14 Raspberry Spread Sparks Outrage

In a cringeworthy display of "easy entertaining," Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, has posted a clip on her As Ever Instagram page showcasing a charcuterie board that has left royal fans and critics alike rolling their eyes. The Fourth of July-themed video features the 43-year-old mom-of-two assembling a wooden platter with various fruits, cheeses, and crackers, but it's the addition of her sold-out, $14 raspberry spread that has sparked outrage.

The Duchess, who looked summer-chic in an oversized, blue-and-white striped button-down shirt, carefully arranged fruits like raspberries and cherries on the board, followed by star-shaped cheese and blueberries. But just as she was about to finish off the board with her prized raspberry spread, disaster struck! She accidentally dropped a raspberry into the container, laughing it off as she popped it into her mouth.

The caption of the video read: "Happy 4th of July!" - but for many viewers, the excitement was short-lived. On Reddit, some royal fans slammed the video as "basic," comparing Meghan's creation to an outdated post on Pinterest. One user quipped, "Bless her heart for thinking this is new and/or unique." Another commentator joked, "Cough! Let's go copy something from Pinterest, and hey make sure you get the jewelry into the shot... oh! yeah, got to show off the stupid handwriting."

The raspberry spread, which sold out within a half hour of its launch in April as part of the first As Ever drop, has been a major topic of discussion. But what's really behind the spread? According to an exclusive investigation by The Scholarly Note, the jam is manufactured by The Republic of Tea, headquartered in Larkspur, California, 350 miles away from Meghan's Montecito mansion.

But here's the kicker: despite being billed as a high-end product, our taste testers were underwhelmed by the spread. "It was like eating a sugary raspberry dessert sauce," one reviewer noted. "The texture was unappealing, and it dripped off my spoon like a sauce." We gave it two out of five stars - and that's being generous.

But Meghan is unfazed by the criticism. In an episode of her Netflix show, With Love, Meghan, she explained that her preserves can't technically be called jam because "jam is equal parts sugar and fruit." She suggested on the show that her spreads are more like a dessert sauce. When asked about the texture, she said it's meant to be "fluid."

However, experts disagree with her claims. "A good jam should have a thicker consistency," one jam-maker told The Scholarly Note. "If it's too thin, it's not a jam." But Meghan is undeterred, comparing the launch of As Ever goods to a "sneaker drop" - where items sell out quickly and then restock.

In an episode of her podcast, Confessions of a Female Founder, in May, she revealed that she intentionally planned for scarcity at the beginning of the launch. But what happens next? She admitted it might be "annoying" for customers to have to wait for replenishment - but is willing to take the risk.

So will Meghan ever restock her raspberry spread? Only time will tell - but one thing's for sure: royal fans and critics alike will be watching with bated breath.