Bethenny Frankel, a true Hollywood insider with a deep understanding of the entertainment industry, recently shared her thoughts on the Duchess of Delusion.
And let me tell you—she hit the nail on the head. Frankel isn’t just another celebrity; she’s a self-made entrepreneur and reality TV star who actually built something substantial, unlike certain individuals who merely married into fame. When she speaks about branding and public image, she knows exactly what she’s talking about. And what she said about Meghan? It’s exactly what many have been saying all along.
Frankel pointed out that Meghan’s biggest challenge is that she lacks a clear identity and doesn’t understand who she is in the eyes of the public. Let that sink in for a moment. This isn’t coming from just anyone—it’s coming from someone who has spent years navigating the entertainment world and knows it inside and out. Isn’t it remarkable how someone who has spent most of their adult life chasing fame still hasn’t figured out who they truly are? Meghan has tried on countless personas—the humanitarian, the royal, the victim, the lifestyle guru—yet none seem to stick. Why? Because none of them feel genuine, just like her ongoing claims about wanting privacy while constantly seeking the spotlight.
Now, let’s talk about her latest rebrand. First, can we acknowledge how desperate it looks to change your brand name after already making an announcement? She initially went with “American Riviera Orchard” before switching to “As Ever.” The official reason? She claimed the first name was too limiting. But let’s be honest—it didn’t generate the reaction she wanted. And that Instagram announcement? Pure cringe. The staged authenticity, complete with Harry awkwardly stating, “It’s recording,” was meant to appear casual and spontaneous. But come on, everything about Meghan is meticulously calculated down to the last detail.
The explanation behind the name change is especially revealing. She claims “As Ever” represents consistency—“as it’s always been.” But what exactly has always been consistent about Meghan Markle? If there’s one thing predictable about her, it’s her inconsistency. She has cycled through more identities than PR teams, and even those in Hollywood—who are accustomed to manufactured personas—struggle to figure out the real Meghan. That’s because there is no real Meghan. She becomes whatever she thinks will gain her the most attention at any given moment.
And let’s not forget the upcoming Netflix series, With Love, Meghan. The title alone is enough to tell you everything about her mindset. It’s not about telling important stories or promoting meaningful causes—it’s just another project centered entirely around Meghan, as always. The stark contrast between her and Catherine, Princess of Wales, couldn’t be clearer. Catherine never needed to “find” herself—she has always been authentically her. She entered the royal family with grace, didn’t demand immediate changes, and never felt the need to constantly broadcast her every move on Instagram. Instead, she simply carried out her duties with dignity, supporting her husband and serving the public.
The timing of Meghan’s latest business venture is especially interesting. While the royal family faces serious challenges—King Charles and Princess Catherine’s health struggles—Meghan is once again focused on launching a commercial enterprise. Could the contrast in priorities be any clearer? Meanwhile, some insiders claim Meghan’s public image has been shaped more by external expectations than by her own choices. But if you look closely, those expectations were entirely of her own making. She insists she knew nothing about the royal family before meeting Harry, yet old blog posts about Kate’s wedding and pictures of her outside Buckingham Palace tell a different story. She has spent years crafting a narrative, but she’s so bad at keeping her story straight that it collapses under even mild scrutiny.
Now, she’s attempting to “just be Meghan” again. But which Meghan is that? The yacht girl? The briefcase model from Deal or No Deal? The cable TV actress? The humanitarian? The royal? The victim? The lifestyle guru? She has switched identities so often that even she probably doesn’t know who she is anymore. And let’s not ignore the timing of her Netflix series—just as the palace shifts focus to the next generation, with Prince William and Catherine’s children stepping into more visible roles, Meghan suddenly needs to remind everyone she exists. The desperation is impossible to miss.
That Instagram announcement was another glaring example. The entire setup, including the effort to make Harry’s role behind the camera appear natural, was so clearly orchestrated. Nothing about Meghan is truly spontaneous—it’s all designed for maximum impact. And what about the brand launch date? Spring 2025? She needs over a year to launch a simple lifestyle brand? Or is she just hoping that by then, the current backlash will have faded and people will have forgotten about her past failures and contradictions? The way she handles this entire rebranding effort reveals a lot about her character. Instead of admitting that her first brand name didn’t work, she’s trying to frame it as a strategic evolution. It’s the same approach she used when leaving the royal family—rather than admitting she struggled with the discipline and responsibility of the role, she spun a dramatic victim narrative.
What’s especially fascinating is that she seems to believe that constantly reinventing herself makes her more authentic. It’s as if she has read too many branding books about the importance of evolution but failed to grasp that successful brands need a solid foundation to pivot from. So ask yourself this: Why does Meghan keep having to rebrand? Why can’t she settle into a lasting identity? Because, as Bethenny Frankel so accurately pointed out, you can’t build a strong brand when you don’t even know who you are.
