Will As Ever come to the UK? How Meghan could use her relocation to boost her jam sales, as PR expert predicts 'a Cotswolds photoshoot with a basket of damsons and a linen apron'

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Just hours before news broke of the Sussexes' return to the UK, Meghan's brand As Ever shared a sunny California-esque photo of a glass bottle containing green peppermint tea positioned in the grass, telling followers that the Duchess starts her day with it - before cracking on with some morning yoga.

'Refreshing, simple, and an easy way to ease into the morning,' it wrote.

Much of the former Suits actress's lifestyle brand has revolved around similar Montecito aesthetics featuring trips to the Farmers' Market near Santa Barbara - and fuelled by throwback tales of her Los Angeles childhood.

But will its palm-tree clad offering make it all the way across the pond?

Speaking to the Daily Mail, branding experts have said that while Meghan is 'nowhere near becoming the next Jeremy Clarkson and opening a Sussex farm shop selling British plum jam in gingham lids' - it's likely she will be able to tilt a lot of As Ever marketing materials into a British context.

'The much more likely move is that she'll use Britain as a new layer of storytelling around As Ever while keeping the business itself relatively international and US-led,' said Jordan Baker, founder of Fair Public Relations.

'As Ever is already built around food, entertaining, gardening (and a slightly romanticised idea of domestic life), and Meghan has UK trademark protection for the brand across categories, which gives her plenty of room to introduce British references without having to build an actual Daylesford-style operation here.

'I could absolutely see limited-edition English preserves, teas, seasonal homeware or collaborations with British makers because those products would immediately give the brand a new story... a Cotswolds photoshoot with a basket of damsons and a linen apron practically writes itself!'

However, Jordan said Meghan will not become 'a traditional country entrepreneur with the muddy boots and permanent farm shop'.

'Her brand is much more controlled and aspirational, and since As Ever separated from Netflix earlier this year, she's also got more reason to establish a clear identity for it as a standalone business rather than tying everything to a television show,' she added.

'Britain could actually be incredibly useful because it allows her to refresh the aesthetic without announcing yet another 'rebrand'.

'She doesn't need to suddenly start selling tweed jackets to do that. She can keep the California lifestyle at the centre, then layer in British countryside imagery, heritage ingredients and carefully chosen collaborations.

'The smartest version is probably California meets Cotswolds, not Montecito being replaced by it. That way she gets all the novelty and press attention of a British chapter without confusing customers about what As Ever is supposed to be.'

Meanwhile, PR expert Rebecca May predicts something like an artisan cafe could be in the cards.

'As Ever has always been British-esque, with tea, jam and country-style living, so the move to the UK aligns perfectly with the brand. It actually makes As Ever feel more regal and Americans would really buy into it,' she told the Daily Mail.

'She could even not only film the move and journey back to settling into Britain, but a TV show could follow them as they build a new life and potentially a new home for the As Ever brand.

'There are rumours they could look to the Cotswolds and this, in my opinion, would be a genius move. Locating themselves in Oxfordshire or even Buckinghamshire is close enough to London but far enough away to purchase acres of land and a farm (budget allowing), as well as having proximity to some of the best private schools in the country, making it a very smart and desirable option.

'Think farm shop, As Ever artisan café serving British afternoon tea, a flower nursery with bespoke "sip and snip" events for the yummy mummies of the countryside, painting classes, as well as bespoke cake and craft events for families and children. The As Ever estate could evolve into a premium lifestyle destination in its own right.

'She could even expand As Ever into clothing and homeware, further developing it into a fully-fledged lifestyle brand. She could even play on the "Made in Britain" appeal, helping her boost sales.

'Moving all her stock could be a headache though, so I suspect she will try and keep the US stock on US soil and launch again in the UK. Her UK product launch could even be phase two of the plan - the journey she could capture by building the dream in the UK would carry enough content, and look at how many seasons Jeremy Clarkson has done to date.

'Their new English life would be of huge interest to the American market, so this will help her shift her US stock and help her brand flourish Stateside. As Ever could evolve into something spectacular if she plans and executes this well enough. It is a calculated risk, but one where I could see her, for once, proving her critics wrong.'

Michael Fahey, Founder and CEO at Fahey Communications also added that the move could be a real 'gift' for As Ever.

'Meghan has spent the last several years building a very California lifestyle brand - sunshine, gardens, entertaining, food and this aspirational Montecito aesthetic. Moving back to Britain gives her an entirely new canvas.

'From a branding perspective, you couldn't script a better opportunity for a second act. Suddenly As Ever can evolve from "Meghan’s California lifestyle" into "Meghan’s lifestyle." That makes the brand much more portable — and potentially much more global.

'The danger is that As Ever has always been tied very closely to Meghan herself. When the founder is more famous than the product, every personal decision becomes a business decision whether you intend it to or not.'

He added: 'California gave Meghan reinvention. Britain gives her a homecoming story. From a marketing standpoint, that's an incredibly powerful narrative if she handles it carefully.

'The smartest move would be to treat Britain not as abandoning the American chapter, but as expanding the story. Keep the California DNA, add British influences and make As Ever feel international rather than relocated.

'Ultimately, the test is very simple: Can As Ever become bigger than Meghan Markle? Celebrity can get someone to buy the first jar of jam. Only a great product gets them to buy the second.”'

Elsewhere, Evan Nierman, Founder and CEO of global crisis PR firm Red Banyan added: 'The move puts Meghan inside a market her business still cannot serve and where she will undoubtedly continue to be a focal point of the media.

'As Ever ships only within the United States, yet most of the traffic to its website comes from overseas. Living in Britain while turning away British customers creates an appetite she cannot feed and closing that gap should become a priority of the highest order.'

It comes as Harry and Meghan are believed to have secretly stayed in the Cotswolds during their recent visit to the UK – which may signal their interest in choosing the exclusive rural area for their next home.

The couple are understood to have spent a few days staying in a private house belonging to a wealthy associate close to Oxford in early July when they last came to Britain, the Daily Mail has learned.

During his stay, Harry took his family to see his father King Charles at Highgrove, on the southern side of the Cotswolds, and they also visited the grave of his mother Diana, Princess of Wales, at her ancestral home at Althorp, in the East Midlands.

But otherwise their movements are not publicly known.

And royal experts are now speculating that the stay in Oxfordshire may have served as a secret reconnaissance mission of the Cotswolds to help the Sussexes make their surprise decision to live in the UK full time – and to work out how to manage this.

The couple are thought to have already found a home and have booked Prince Archie, seven, and Princess Lilibet, five, into a local prep school – and it's now believed that they were making these arrangements during their stay in Oxfordshire.

They are expected to arrive in the UK to begin their new life within a fortnight, ahead of school terms beginning in the first week of September.

The precise location of their elective new home is being kept a closely guarded secret for security reasons.