Meghan Markle’s £112 Advent Calendar Sparks Online Row After Priests Suggest Cheaper Christian Alternative
Meghan Markle’s latest As Ever launch has sparked an unexpected online row after two British clergymen faced a wave of criticism for discussing a much cheaper Christian alternative to her luxury advent calendar.
The Duchess of Sussex unveiled her first As Ever advent calendar in an online campaign last week, with the limited-edition box priced at £112 ($148).
But the product quickly became the centre of a heated debate after Anglican priest and London university chaplain Reverend Daniel French suggested that shoppers could instead buy a £5.99 Christian advent calendar featuring Fairtrade chocolate and a Christmas story.
The comments prompted a backlash from some supporters of Meghan, known collectively as the Sussex Squad, with Rev French later locking his X account after receiving a series of hostile messages.
Priest Suggests £6 Alternative To Meghan’s Luxury Calendar
Rev French shared an image of Meghan alongside her As Ever product and wrote:
“For £5.99 you can pre-order a Christian Advent Calendar with Fairtrade chocolate from the Meaningful Chocolate Company. A donation is made to The Leprosy Mission.”
The alternative calendar contains Fairtrade chocolate and comes with a 24-page Christmas story and activity booklet focused on the birth of Christ.
It also raises money for The Leprosy Mission, giving shoppers a significantly cheaper option with a charitable element.
The post might have seemed relatively straightforward, but it soon attracted angry responses from some Meghan supporters.
According to the source, Rev French was called a “demon”, “evil” and “satan spawn”, while one critic accused him of having an “ugly heart for a so-called Christian”.
Another told him that he was not Meghan’s target audience and said they would continue buying chocolate from her brand.
Rev French simply replied:
“Enjoy.”
Fellow Priest Also Drawn Into The Row
The controversy then widened when Protestant priest Father Chris Phillips, whose parish is in Benhilton, south-west London, backed Rev French on X.
Father Phillips later said he had “encountered the Sussex Squad on here”, adding:
“Wow.”
The online response continued, with critics accusing both clergymen of hypocrisy and questioning their conduct as Christian leaders.
One message described Rev French and Father Phillips as “sorry excuses for Christianity”, while another accused them of trying to use Christmas to promote their own support.
Rev French’s defenders, meanwhile, said he had been subjected to an intense campaign of online abuse.
After around 24 hours of criticism, including what the source described as threats and defamatory comments about his character, Rev French reportedly locked his account and blocked a number of pro-Meghan supporters.
Both priests have been approached for comment.
Meghan’s £112 Calendar Features 24 Handcrafted Chocolates
The controversy comes as Meghan continues to promote the latest product from her lifestyle brand, As Ever.
Created in collaboration with Los Angeles-based gourmet chocolate company Compartés, the advent calendar contains 24 handcrafted chocolates.
The flavours include strawberry, raspberry, blackberry and orange marmalade, alongside a special chocolate finished with Meghan’s own flower sprinkles.
Compartés’ dark chocolate ganache truffle is also included.
The calendar’s design was reportedly inspired by Meghan and Prince Harry’s former Montecito home and garden, where the couple lived for six years.
A festive illustration of the £11 million mansion appears on the box, while countdown numbers were hand-painted in Meghan’s handwriting using edible gold lustre.
The company described the product as a limited-edition collaboration and said Meghan worked on the design with Compartés creative director Jonathan Grahm.
The calendar is available to pre-order in the US through the As Ever website, with delivery expected from early November.
Meghan’s £75,000 Look Also Became Part Of The Promotion
The price of the calendar was not the only detail to attract attention.
In promotional images for the launch, Meghan wore an outfit and jewellery reportedly worth around £75,000 ($100,000) in total.
One of the most eye-catching pieces was a yellow-gold tennis necklace by Jennifer Meyer, valued at $61,250, or roughly £46,000.
Fans of Meghan’s style were also given the opportunity to purchase items from the look through her OneOff fashion page.
Meghan is an investor in the AI-powered fashion business and is believed to receive a percentage of sales, with OneOff’s commission reportedly ranging from 10 to 25 per cent per item.
The promotional campaign also featured early artwork from the advent calendar and footage of Meghan’s black Labrador, Pula, carrying an As Ever plush toy while Meghan stroked her.
The Latest Chapter For As Ever
The advent calendar marks another major step for As Ever, which Meghan launched in February 2025.
The lifestyle brand has previously sold products including jam and flower sprinkles, while Meghan has continued promoting the business through Instagram since returning to the UK.
Ahead of the advent calendar launch, As Ever also shared Meghan’s hosting advice in a series of social media posts.
Under the heading “Meghan’s Hosting Notes”, the brand advised people to prepare as much as possible before guests arrived and save one simple kitchen task for the end of the gathering.
The post concluded:
“A little preparation goes a long way toward making hosting feel effortless.”
The advice was accompanied by an image of Meghan tying a white apron around her waist.
Her Netflix series With Love, Meghan, which also focused on hosting, cooking and crafting, received a mixed response from critics when it launched alongside As Ever.
Meghan’s Relationship With The Church
The online dispute also comes against the backdrop of Meghan’s own relationship with the Church of England.
Although Meghan attended a Catholic school in Los Angeles, she was baptised into the Church of England and confirmed by the then Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, before marrying Prince Harry in 2018.
The ceremony took place at the Chapel Royal in St James’s Palace and was kept private from all but the most senior members of the Royal Family.
The couple later caused controversy during their 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey when Meghan said she and Harry had secretly married three days before their public wedding.
She said they had contacted the Archbishop of Canterbury because they wanted their union to be private.
The comments prompted questions about the legal status of such a ceremony.
Archbishop Welby subsequently clarified that the legal wedding took place on the Saturday.
He said:
“I had a number of private and pastoral meetings with the duke and duchess before the wedding.”
He added:
“The legal wedding was on the Saturday. I signed the wedding certificate, which is a legal document, and I would have committed a serious criminal offence if I signed it knowing it was false.”
The Sussexes’ Return To Britain
The advent calendar launch comes during a significant period for Meghan and Harry, who recently returned to live in the UK with their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.
The Sussexes stepped down as working royals in 2020 and subsequently moved to California.
Their return has prompted considerable speculation about the reasons behind the move, with possibilities including a desire for their children to develop a closer relationship with King Charles, Meghan potentially returning to acting and the couple seeking to increase their public profile.
Charles was reportedly pleased at the prospect of spending more time with his family but remained firm that Harry and Meghan would not return as working royals, with no half-in, half-out arrangement available.
The couple were also reportedly surprised by a letter authorised by the King and circulated by the Lord Chamberlain to senior Government and military stakeholders, reiterating that they were “private citizens” and outlining how they should be treated.
The Sussexes were said to prefer being described as “public figures”.
Their children’s schooling has also attracted attention. Archie and Lilibet were reportedly pulled from their first-choice British school in September after just two days because heavy traffic in the area made it difficult for their private security team to remain in convoy during the school run.
Harry and Meghan are also waiting to learn whether they will receive taxpayer-funded security.
A Luxury Product That Has Become A Much Bigger Conversation
What began as the launch of a luxury chocolate advent calendar has therefore developed into a much wider debate — involving Christmas, religion, celebrity culture, online fandom and the price of Meghan’s latest product.
The £112 As Ever calendar was designed to offer a premium Christmas experience, complete with handcrafted chocolates and a highly personalised presentation.
But Rev French’s decision to highlight a £5.99 Christian alternative unexpectedly shifted attention towards what Christmas means to different audiences — and triggered a fierce response online.
For Meghan and As Ever, the controversy arrives at a time when the brand is continuing to build its identity and expand its product range.
For the two priests caught up in the backlash, however, a simple suggestion about an advent calendar has turned into a much larger and far more heated online dispute.