Meghan Markle's As Ever online shop has launched a $148 advent calendar—averaging $6 per chocolate in it—inspired by her Montecito home and garden despite having moved to Britain in August. However, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex did not sell their mansion in Santa Barbara when they relocated to the U.K. and may choose to spend Christmas there. A press release says the calendar includes "24 handcrafted chocolates, one for each day leading up to the holiday, with flavors drawing from As ever favorites like Strawberry, Raspberry, Blackberry, and Orange Marmalade, plus a special chocolate finished with Meghan's own Flower Sprinkles.
"Every detail was considered with care, including countdown numbers hand-painted in Meghan's own penmanship using edible gold luster." The advent calendar is a partnership with Los Angeles chocolatier Compartés and goes on sale on October 1. There has long been debate among commentators about the price of Meghan's asever.com produce, so the cost of the advent calendar may raise eyebrows among those critics. The fact marketing material references their Montecito home could indicate the project dates back to before the Sussex family moved to England over the summer.
It could also hint at a possible return to California for Christmas. Meghan worked with Jonathan Grahm, creative director at Compartés, to produce the calendar and the flavors are partly inspired by As Ever's collection of jams, including the strawberry, raspberry, blackberry and orange marmalade flavors. The press release suggested it was "made to be enjoyed through December and treasured long after" and added: "The Advent Calendar marks the latest chapter in an ongoing collaboration between the two brands, following the As ever x Compartés chocolate bars, which sold out in under an hour, and continues with additional chocolate offerings from the pair launching throughout Q4." The chocolates are $28 more expensive than the rest of the Compartés advent calendar range, which come in at $120.
This is cheaper than some high end chocolatiers, like the Vosges 2026 Haut-Chocolat Advent Calendar at $385. At the other end of the scale, shoppers on a budget can pick up a Walmart chocolate advent calendar for under $15. Harry and Meghan moved to California in 2020 after quitting royal life and initially lived at Tyler Perry's Los Angeles mansion while they house hunted.
They bought their Montecito mansion for $14.7 million that year and had moved in by July. It is where they were living when Princess Lilibet was born and will be full of early childhood memories for both their children, since Archie was little more than a year old when they moved there. During the COVID-19 pandemic the home's interiors featured heavily in the background to the couple's public appearances using video apps like Zoom.
They also showed Oprah Winfrey around their home farm and chicken coop, named Archie's Chick Inn, for their bombshell March 2021 sitdown interview. Oprah said: "I love your little designer house here. Oh, how cute is that." Meghan was asked what she was most excited about "in her new life" and replied: "I think just being able to live authentically, right?
Extract — continue reading at the source.
