Meghan Markle's wealthy friends 'reported to council' over alleged illegal alcohol sales at As Ever pop-up
Promotional shots of bottles of fizz on ice and wine displayed in wooden crates were seen among several of the Duchess's products at the Godmothers bookshop in California last week
Meghan Markle's wealthy friends have been reported to the council after allegedly selling bottles of wine without a licence during an As Ever pop-up.
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Promotional shots of bottles of fizz on ice and wine displayed in wooden crates were seen among several of the Duchess's products at the Godmothers bookshop in California last week.
The store, located near Meghan's Montecito mansion, is run by her friends - literary agent Jennifer Rudolph Walsh and cosmetics mogul Victoria Jackson.
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They hosted the first-ever "pop-up store" for the Duchess' As Ever brand, with snaps of the event appearing on her Instagram page on Thursday. The display showcased products such as fruit spreads, candles, herbal teas and spice kits.
But eagled-eyed viewers noticed open bottles of booze in buckets of ice and on top of display boxes - and reported the business to the local council.
They claim Godmothers has breached licensing laws, as its application for an alcohol licence was still pending.
A source has since dismissed the claims, insisting the bottles were filled with water and that the ice cubes were fake, with no As Ever wine served during the event.
If the shop had been found guilty, licensing officials could have issued a penalty to the owners for breaching licensing rules.
The promotional party marked the first time Meghan's As Ever products were available to be purchased from a physical store.
The goods had been available to buy on the Godmothers website, but have since been removed.
Meghan's most recent beverage - The 2024 Napa Valley Rose - was released in August this year.
Unlike its predecessor, the stock has not sold out and is still available to buy on her website.
Retailing at $30 each, buyers must purchase either a minimum of three bottles of wine, six for $159 (£119) including a 12 per cent discount, or 12 bottles for $300 (£225), including 17 per cent off.
Meghan's 2023 rosé sold out within an hour when it launched in July.