Meghan Markle Faces Backlash Over Timing of As Ever Product Launch Hours After Dolly Parton’s Death

Meghan Markle has drawn criticism over the timing of a new product announcement for her As Ever lifestyle brand, which appeared on social media only hours after news broke that Dolly Parton had died at age 80.

The Duchess of Sussex, 45, introduced the brand’s new Spiced Apple Butter on Tuesday, Aug. 25, less than five hours after Parton’s nephew Bryan Seaver announced the country music legend’s death.

The proximity of the two announcements quickly became the focus of online criticism, with some questioning whether Meghan’s promotional post should have been postponed as tributes to Parton dominated social media.

Dolly Parton’s death dominated the news cycle

Seaver announced his aunt’s death in a video posted to Parton’s social media accounts shortly before 11 a.m. PST.

The news immediately prompted an enormous response from fans and major figures across entertainment, with musicians, actors and other public figures sharing memories and tributes to the “Jolene” singer.

Parton’s death became one of the day’s biggest entertainment stories, overshadowing much of the normal celebrity and pop-culture news cycle.

Against that backdrop, Meghan’s As Ever account published its latest product promotion shortly before 3 p.m. PST.

The post introduced Spiced Apple Butter, a new addition to the lifestyle brand’s growing range.

Critics questioned whether the launch should have been delayed

The product itself was not the primary source of controversy. Instead, critics focused almost entirely on when the announcement appeared.

Some social media users argued that releasing a commercial post while widespread mourning for Parton was unfolding made the timing appear insensitive.

Others speculated that the promotional content may have been scheduled in advance and questioned why it was not removed or delayed once news of Parton’s death became public.

However, there is no information in the report establishing whether the As Ever post had been pre-scheduled, whether Meghan personally approved its publication that afternoon or whether her team considered postponing it.

The criticism therefore centers on perception and timing rather than evidence that Meghan deliberately chose to compete with coverage of Parton’s death.

Meghan continued As Ever promotion as tributes poured in

Parton’s passing generated an immediate wave of public mourning, with her decades-long career and influence being celebrated around the world.

That made virtually any celebrity or commercial announcement released in the same window likely to receive less attention.

Meghan’s Spiced Apple Butter launch nevertheless went ahead as scheduled, placing a routine lifestyle-brand promotion alongside a dramatically different moment in the entertainment news cycle.

For critics, that contrast was enough to trigger a backlash.

Some questioned why the duchess or her team had not simply waited until the widespread tributes had subsided before introducing the new product.

No evidence the timing was intended to coincide with Parton’s death

While the reaction was swift, the report offers no indication that Meghan knew in advance when Parton’s death would be announced or intentionally selected the timing to coincide with the news.

There is also no confirmation that the product rollout could have been changed at short notice.

What is clear is that the announcement arrived at an unusually sensitive moment.

Parton’s death had been public for only a few hours when the As Ever promotion appeared, meaning the post was inevitably viewed through the emotional context of the day.

Rather than generating attention solely around Spiced Apple Butter, the timing itself became the story — turning what was intended as a straightforward product launch into another debate surrounding Meghan Markle and the intense scrutiny attached to nearly every public move she makes.