King Charles has seemingly upstaged his daughter-in-law Meghan Markle with a surprise announcement on her big day. The 77-year-old monarch's team quietly made an exciting online announcement on the same day the Duchess of Sussex engaged fans with her latest As Ever drop.

Following Meghan's advent calendar launch at the start of the month, chapter two of her 'Holiday Collection' went live on Thursday, 22 October. It is centred around hosting and includes a quaint Trellis porcelain tea set.

In a potentially surprising turn of events, her father-in-law King Charles released a crockery collection on the very same day. The monarch's Highgrove Gardens office shared an Instagram post introducing a "new collection with Cornishware Ceramics".

The caption detailed the items included in the range: "From teapots, mugs, and side plates to storage pots and dog bowls, each piece is hand-cast from Cornish clay and passes through at least 25 pairs of skilled hands." The items are designed using Highgrove's signature King's Rose pink and Highgrove sage green and are available on the website for purchase by royal enthusiasts.

This is not the first time Meghan and Charles have competed in the lifestyle sector, as both famously sell artisan jams and preserves through their respective online storefronts. The Duchess of Sussex's best-selling items in this category include orange marmalade, raspberry, and strawberry spreads packaged in minimalist jars.

The monarch also features a full range of organic preserves on his Highgrove shop site, crafted locally and sustainably for the royal household. Rumours suggest the Sussex family, who have been in Britain since late August, could head back to the United States for the festive period in December.

Observers continue to monitor the subtle parallel product launches, noting how both royal figures successfully leverage their massive public platforms for commercial lifestyle ventures.