King Charles knows how to stay in the limelight without trying too hard.
The 77-year-old monarch has seemingly soft launched a competition with his daughter-in-law, Mgehan Markle – who is trying too hard to establish her lifestyle brand, As Ever in London.
On Thursday, October 22, The Duchess of Sussex unveiled a luxury homeware collection from As Ever, which she is trying to expand with preserves, gifts and entertaining accessories.
However, on the same day, Charles announced a new ceramics range showcasing traditional British craftsmanship from his Highgrove Gardens brand, sparking a subtle competition with Meghan’s retail store, As Ever.
The official Instagram account of Highgrove Gardens announced a "new collection with Cornishware Ceramics” including household accessories, “From teapots, mugs, and side plates to storage pots and dog bowls.”
It further highlighted that “each piece is hand-cast from Cornish clay and passes through at least 25 pairs of skilled hands.”
Now, sources close to Buckingham Palace are claiming that the cancer-stricken monarch is being praised for his smart strategy to one-up Meghan without making it obvious.
"What's fascinating is that Charles has managed to enter the same lifestyle territory as Meghan without making a fuss about it,” an insider told RadarOnline.
They went on to share, "He's quietly building on a brand that already has enormous credibility, and there's a feeling that Highgrove's heritage and royal connections give it an advantage that Meghan simply cannot replicate. It's a rather clever way of competing without ever appearing to compete.
"Charles doesn't need celebrity endorsements or carefully choreographed publicity campaigns to sell his products. Highgrove has been doing this for years, and the emphasis on British craftsmanship gives the collection a sense of authenticity" added the insider.
"The timing is extraordinary, particularly when Meghan is working so hard to establish As Ever as a serious luxury lifestyle businessm," they noted.
Meanwhile another source revealed "There is something rather amusing about the king and his daughter-in-law finding themselves selling similar products, and that is why Charles is getting praise for this timing.”
"Meghan is trying to create a lifestyle empire around her personal image, while Charles already has an established operation with decades of history behind it. Whether intentional or not, his latest launch has rather stolen some of her thunder,” they added.
