Meghan Markle sparks speculation after 'cosying up' to Kardashian business mastermind
The Duchess of Sussex was snapped at a Los Angeles event with Emma Grede - who works closely with the Kardashians and their businesses - with many believing her appearance could point to a shift for her brand As Ever
Meghan Markle could be set to develop a 'mega-brand' with her lifestyle project As Ever, as she was spotted rubbing shoulders with PR mogul Emma Grede.
The Duchess of Sussex attended a dinner hosted by Grede - who is the mastermind behind Kim Kardashian ’s Skims brand and Khloe Kardashian’s apparel brand Good American - which celebrated women “owning their power” and helping “each other get s**t done”.
Ms Grede shared several photos and videos from the banquet, writing in her Instagram caption: “Not my typical Wednesday after work” before showing behind-the-scenes footage from the evening, with Meghan's 2024 As Ever Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc flowing throughout the evening.
Meghan and Emma posed in their ‘power outfits’ together before being seated next to each other for the dinner, laughing and raising a toast with their glasses of wine.
The two women have a history with each other, with Meghan appearing on Emma’s podcast Aspire in June, in which she discussed the future of her lifestyle brand while also sneaking in a few jabs at the royal family.
Since Meghan’s appearance at Paris Fashion Week in early September, royal commentators have speculated whether the duchess might be making a move into the world of fashion and beauty with her lifestyle brand, and her dinner with the PR queen has only fuelled the rumours.
Sources close to Ms Grede have ruled out an official collaboration with As Ever, but PR guru Chad Teixeira believes their friendship could be a sign that Meghan is leaning on her years of expertise, as he said: “Meghan Markle's appearance at Emma Grede's Los Angeles dinner series is far too strategic to be a coincidence.
“The timing is significant and there's growing speculation that Meghan is preparing to launch a fashion line, and Emma Grede, who has built billion-dollar brands like Skims and Good American, is exactly the kind of collaborator who could help her do that successfully.”
He went on to analyse Emma’s social media posts with Meghan from the evening, as he said the imagery and social media content surrounding the event all but confirms that the event was not just a “casual dinner”.
“The visuals are polished, professional, and designed to frame Meghan and Emma as equals within the same creative space,” he said. “That kind of staging doesn't happen by accident, it's a soft-launch strategy we often see in PR when something bigger is on the horizon."
PR expert Rebecca May agreed, adding: “Everything Meghan does is with intention – she's not someone who just shows up somewhere by chance. She's known for making smart, strategic connections, and being at Emma's dinner feels very deliberate.
“Emma's world is full of women who build things – brands, businesses, movements – so for Meghan to be in that mix definitely suggests she's laying the groundwork for her next chapter.”