King Charles Undercuts Meghan with $6 Raspberry Jam Drop — Royal Pantry Throwdown
Hello, I am Avery Sinclair. Canât wait to see how this plays out.
King Charles has quietly cut the price on his royal raspberry jam to about $6.70, a move that puts his Duchy of Cornwall preserves at roughly half the price of Meghan Markleâs As Ever raspberry-style preserve which retails for about $14. The monarch, 76, has been selling jams from his Duchy estate for years and the newest Sandringham jar is now available at the Sandringham gift shop with a wider rollout planned later this year, according to the product listing.
Yes, this is the part where the palace food aisle gets competitive. The Sandringham raspberry conserve is promoted as being made to a unique local recipe using locally sourced ingredients, marketed as ideal for toast or a freshly baked scone. The label leans into traditional British charm, with straightforward copy about provenance and flavor that will satisfy any person who enjoys simple, no-fuss spreads.
On the other side of the pond, Meghan Markle, 44, launched her As Ever preserves earlier this year as part of her lifestyle brand. The As Ever raspberry preserve is described as blending raspberry sweetness with a hint of lemon and a fluid texture designed to be drizzled, spread, poured and used beyond toast. Meghanâs debut drop sold out fast and generated headlines, not always flattering ones, because of the packaging and gifting drama that followed.
In a moment that felt more like a reality check than a PR win, Meghan revealed on an episode of her Netflix show that she made 50 jars for friends and family and mailed them out. Some recipients apparently read more into the limited run than intended. Mindy Kaling, who received jar number 19 of 50, admitted she reacted like a hierarchical human being and immediately wondered who else was on the list. Meghan explained that jar number one went to her mother and the rest were meant as generous gifts from her kitchen. The exchange, aired on camera, underlined how even humble preserves can become status signals when celebrity is involved.
Meghan has expanded As Ever beyond jam into wine, launching a Napa Valley rosé in 2023 that sold out within an hour. A subsequent vintage in 2024 did not move as quickly, suggesting the initial frenzy may have cooled or that rosé lovers were picky about the second offering. The royal grape cluster is growing: cousins of Prince Harry, Lady Eliza and Lady Amelia Spencer, also entered the rosé business this year with their Lala V range, showing the family palate is diversifying.
Back to King Charles, his jam is positioned as a classic, locally made product sold via the Duchy of Cornwall, which manages estate goods and agricultural projects tied to the royal household. The price cut feels deliberately modest, playing into a perception of British restraint and heritage rather than entrepreneurial flash. It offers consumers a cheaper, traditionally pitched alternative to the celebrity-branded preserves that come with storytelling, media moments and, apparently, numbered jars.
So what are we supposed to take away from this tiny battle of spreads? One, celebrity products are still headline fuel. Two, royal branding works in different modes: Meghanâs upscale, multipurpose preserve-with-a-story versus Charlesâs old-school conserve rooted in place and price. Three, if you are buying preserves to prove something about your social standing, you might want to ask whether you are buying jam or status.
The price difference is factual and documented on respective product listings and media coverage of both launches. Expect more royal and celebrity lifestyle launches to be compared in the press because it is cheap, easy and reliably entertaining copy. Who knew toast could be so loaded with meaning.
And now you have the condensed version, politely served with a dab of skepticism and a side of scone. That is todayâs reality check. Youâre welcome.
Closing quip: Nothing revolutionary here, just a fancy squeeze fight over a pantry staple.
Sources: Celebrity Storm and New York Post, Netflix (With Love, Meghan episode coverage), Sandringham gift shop product listing, As Ever product descriptions
Attribution: Creative Commons Licensed
