Meghan Markle’s supporters have been accused of “terrorising” British clergy after two priests questioned the £112 ($148) price of her new chocolate advent calendar and suggested it overlooked the religious meaning of Christmas.
The Duchess of Sussex promoted the gourmet festive gift in an online advertisement while dressed in clothing and jewellery estimated to be worth around £75,000 ($100,000).
Rev Daniel French, an Anglican priest and university chaplain in London, later faced a barrage of abuse from members of the Sussex Squad after recommending a far cheaper Christian alternative. Our News Outlet understands that fellow clergyman Father Chris Phillips was also targeted and subsequently restricted access to his X account.
The controversy began when Rev French suggested that shoppers consider a Christian advent calendar costing almost 20 times less than Meghan’s As Ever product.
He highlighted that the alternative contains Fairtrade chocolate, supports charity and includes a booklet explaining the religious significance of Christmas.
Alongside an image of Meghan promoting her As Ever calendar, Rev French 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 lower-priced calendar also features a 24-page story and activity booklet focused on the birth of Christ.
The post quickly drew criticism from some Meghan supporters, who attacked Rev French with insults including “satan spawn” and “evil” and accused him of having an “ugly heart for a so-called Christian”.
Father Chris Phillips, a Protestant priest whose parish is in Benhilton, south-west London, then voiced his support for Rev French on X. After receiving a new wave of hostile replies, he wrote that he had “encountered the Sussex Squad on here”, adding: “Wow.”
Meghan’s £112 chocolate advent calendar marks the first major As Ever product launched since her return to the UK
A post promoting a Christian alternative to Meghan’s advent calendar ignited the online dispute
Anglican priests Daniel French, left, and Chris Phillips, right, faced a wave of online criticism, with Father Phillips restricting his X account and blocking several users
The priests recommended an advent calendar sold in support of The Leprosy Mission, prompting an angry response from some Meghan supporters
Supporters of the clergymen said Father Phillips had been “terrorised” by what they described as “deranged trolls”, eventually prompting him to make his account private.
Some critics then accused him of cowardice for limiting access to his posts.
After roughly 24 hours of hostile messages, including threats and allegations about his character, Father Phillips locked his account and blocked several pro-Meghan users.
One critic wrote: “Why are you joining in and trolling a woman for selling an advent calendar? You must be a shining example of Christianity to your parishioners.”
Another posted: “Both the Reverend Daniel French and Father Chris Phillips are sorry excuses for Christianity.”
A third commenter said: “What an evil way of trying to garner Christmas support. God sees you.”
Reacting to Father Phillips’s decision to restrict his account and block users, another Meghan supporter accused the priests of hypocrisy and wrote an abusive message describing them as “demons in church’s clothing”.
‘They can dish it but can’t take it, what does he do? Blocks and scamper away like the coward he is’.
Both priests have been asked to comment.
It came days after Meghan unveiled her lifestyle brand As Ever’s first advent calendar in collaboration with LA-based gourmet chocolate company Compartes.
The £112 box of chocolate treats is her first major product since she, Harry and their two children moved back to the UK.
The calendar – ‘inspired by her Montecito home and garden’ – features a festive illustration of the £11million mansion she and Prince Harry called home for six years.
A press release declared ‘every detail was considered with care, including countdown numbers hand-painted in Meghan’s own penmanship using edible gold lustre’.
The ‘limited-edition’ product includes 24 handcrafted chocolates and flavours include strawberry, raspberry, blackberry and orange marmalade, plus what is described as a ‘special chocolate finished with Meghan’s own flower sprinkles’.
Compartés’s dark chocolate ganache truffle also features in the calendar, with Meghan’s writing said to turn ‘each day’s reveal into a small, personal moment’.
The product is priced at $148 (£112) and is available to pre-order in the US on As Ever’s website, with delivery from early November.
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Meghan’s business described this as the ‘latest chapter in an ongoing collaboration between the two brands’, after the $12 (£9) As Ever x Compartés chocolate bars.
As Ever explained that the box’s design was ‘inspired by Meghan’s Montecito home and garden’, and she worked on it with Compartés creative director Jonathan Grahm.
The product is ‘made to be enjoyed through December and treasured long after’ and ‘brings together the artistry of Compartés and the warmth that defines As Ever’.
Compartés said it was also selling three other cheaper but ‘ultra-giftable advent calendars’ at $120 (£91) each, including ‘Enchanted Castle’, ‘The Nutcracker’ and ‘Winter Forest’.
Meghan wore a glittering tennis necklace in yellow gold from Jennifer Meyer worth $61,250, or roughly £46,000
The pictures were posted on Instagram as Meghan unveiled her lifestyle brand As Ever’s first advent calendar in collaboration with LA-based gourmet chocolate company Compartes
Meghan is offering fans of her style the chance to buy her look in the advert, including a $61,250 necklace. She is believed to get a commission from sales
Meghan also included early prints of the box’s artwork and footage of her beloved black Labrador Pula carrying an As Ever plushie toy in her mouth while the duchess lovingly stroked her head.
She has continued promoting As Ever, which was launched in February last year, on Instagram since returning to the UK in August with the couple’s children Prince Archie, seven, and five-year-old Princess Lilibet.
Ahead of launching the advent calendar, As Ever shared Meghan’s top hosting tips, which include having ‘as much prepped as possible before guests arrive’.
Meghan also advised saving one ‘simple task for the end’.
In an Instagram post labelled ‘Meghan’s Hosting Notes’, her As Ever firm suggested it should be: ‘Something you can finish in the kitchen while everyone settles in.’
It added: ‘A little preparation goes a long way toward making hosting feel effortless.’
The advice was accompanied by a picture of Meghan tying a white apron around her waist.
The duchess’ Netflix series With Love, Meghan, which offered recommendations for hosting, cooking and crafting, was panned by critics when it was launched alongside As Ever, which sells jam and flower sprinkles, in 2025.
Harry and Meghan, who returned to live in the UK just over a month ago, are waiting to hear whether they will be given taxpayer-funded security.
They pulled Archie and Lili out of their first-choice British school in September after just two days when heavy traffic in the area meant their private security team struggled to stay in a convoy during the school run.
The Sussexes stepped down as working royals in 2020 for personal and financial reasons but rumours remain rife as to why they unexpectedly relocated to the UK from California.
Speculation ranges from the couple wanting their children to develop a closer relationship with their grandfather King Charles, Meghan seeking a return to acting and the Sussexes wanting to increase their profile.
In the run-up to their return, Charles was said to be glad to be able to spend more time with the family but remained adamant they would not be working royals, and there was no half-in, half-out option.
Within two weeks of arriving, there was reported pushback from Harry and Meghan after a letter, authorised by the King, was circulated by the Lord Chamberlain to senior stakeholders in the Government and military reiterating the couple were ‘private citizens’ and setting out guidance on how they should be treated.
The duke and duchess were said to be ‘surprised’ by the formal letter and the couple, who are waiting to hear whether they will be given taxpayer-funded security, were reported to prefer the term ‘public figures’ instead.
In As Ever promotional photos Meghan was head-to-toe in haute couture and wore three new and hugely expensive jewellery pieces.
As well as buying her advent calendar, she has also offered fans the chance to buy her entire £75,000 ($100,000) look.
One of the standout additions was a glittering yellow-gold tennis necklace by Jennifer Meyer worth $61,250 – roughly £46,000.
Admirers of Meghan’s style can buy the clothing and jewellery she wore while looking at her Advent calendar in an online advert.
Meghan’s look is being featured on her OneOff fashion page, through which she earns a percentage of sales.
She is believed to receive a share of OneOff’s sales commission, which ranges from 10 to 25 per cent per item sold. Meghan is also an investor in the AI-powered fashion business.
However, the marketing strategy backfired earlier this year when the outfit she wore while hugging survivors of the Bondi Beach terror attack, in which 15 people were killed, was also promoted via her OneOff page.
