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The Duchess of Sussex often shares insights into her favourite meals and snacks to prepare for her family, but her seasonal drink for 2025 has left royal fans confused. Meghan Markle, 44, took to Instagram on 3 November to share how she uses the 'Spiced Cider Mulling Spice Kit', which retails for $16 (£12.20) from her lifestyle brand, As Ever, as she explained how to create a "really cosy warm beverage that everyone can enjoy". Prince Harry's wife was seen wearing a white sweater as she was seen brewing the contents of the mulling kit in a cup of boiling water before adding a helping of honey from her brand and a cinnamon stick. Though Meghan pointed out the hearty smell the mixture creates as it brews on the stove, fans were left confused by what was essentially a cup of flavoured water. "Meghan Markle just made mulled water? Wouldn’t you add the spices to apple cider? Or wine? Not WATER?," penned one baffled royal watcher on X, adding: "As far as Hot Toddies, again, maybe I’m wrong, but that's a cocktail. You mix hot water with whiskey, honey, lemon juice-and these spices if that's your poison. But whiskey makes it a toddy. But she's making mulled water." Other commenters likened the drink to potpourri. With its use of cinnamon, it is also a drink Prince Harry will avoid, as Meghan revealed her husband dislikes the spice during an episode of her Netflix show, With Love Meghan, in which she made an apple pie containing cinnamon. "Let's have some fun with cinnamon. Everyone loves cinnamon, my husband doesn't," she revealed. Though Meghan's take on a mulled wine or hot toddy may not have been a hit with everyone, cinnamon does have its benefits. Benefits of consuming cinnamon "Cinnamon has been found to have beneficial effects on blood glucose regulation and is packed with nutrients such as iron, manganese and fibre," Jenna Hope, a registered nutritionist with 10 years experience, tells us. "One of the bioactive compounds known as Cinnamaldehyde may help to support reduced inflammation in the gut, which is important for a healthy gut lining and consequently the immune system, as 70 to 80 per cent of the immune cells reside in the gut." Meghan's favourite tipple Since launching As Ever in February 2025, the daughter-in-law of King Charles has not only introduced fans to her spice mixes for hot drinks but has also brought out a line of wines for a boozier occasion. Her line features a 2024 Napa Valley Rose, a 2024 Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, and a 2021 Vintage Napa Valley Brut, which retails for a staggering $89. However, there is a certain tipple that has long had Meghan's heart. Long before she met Prince Harry (on a blind date set up by a mutual friend in 2017), Meghan ran The Tig, a lifestyle blog which she created and ran between 2014 and 2017 – and it got its name from a certain tipple. Writing on the now-defunct website, the former Suits actress explained: "Tignanello is a full-bodied red wine that I tried about seven years ago. In wine circles, it is nicknamed ‘Tig.’ It was my first moment of getting it — I finally understood what people meant by the body, structure, finish, legs of wine. The Tig is my nickname for me getting it. Not just wine, but everything." Meghan's dietary 'vices' When Meghan's drinking a glass of wine, there's a certain food that is her must-have pairing. "French fries and vino are my vices," she told Delish in 2016. She added of her love of a certain carb: "When I'm traveling, I won't miss an opportunity to try great pasta. I come back from vacation every year with a food baby, and I've named her Comida." Since she left her Tig days behind her when she went public with her relationship with Prince Harry, Meghan has found a new outlet for her love of food, drink, and entertaining with With Love, Meghan. The series, which first aired in March 2025, has seen her reveal some of her favourite recipes, including chicken street tacos, as she is joined by an array of her high-profile friends, including model Chrissy Teigen and actress Mindy Kaling.
