Meghan Markle’s 1st Products From American Riviera Orchard Revealed by Friends! See Photos
Amid the royal drama and health insecurities surrounding her in-laws Princess Kate Middleton and Prince William, Meghan Markle launched her new lifestyle brand, American Riviera Orchard. Just weeks after the exciting announcement, friends of the Duchess of Sussex gave a sneak peak of the first products to come.
What Is American Riviera Orchard?
The Suits actress unveiled her latest endeavor on March 14, 2024, in a series of posts on social media, along with urging fans to sign up for updates on a cryptic website.
In the video posted to her Instagram Stories set to Nancy Wilson’s “I Wish You Love,” the former model is seen arranging a flower bouquet before the clip cut to her cooking in a rustic kitchen.
Along with the brand name, underneath the American Riviera Orchard logo, the word “Montecito” is seen written in script-like font — hinting at the California neighborhood where she and Prince Harry resided after stepping down from their official royal duties in 2020.
Meghan gave no hints about the brand in the bio of the social media account, simply signing off, “by Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex,” adding that the brand was established in 2024. ???
What Products Will Meghan Markle's American Riviera Orchard Brand Sell?
Seemingly an extension of her former blog, “The Tig,” American Riviera Orchard will reportedly focus on food, home, downloadable e-books, general lifestyle wares and more, according to trademark documents filed on February 2, 2024, obtained by In Touch.
“She’s been working on this for over a year and it’s all the things that are close to her heart — all the things she’s passionate about,” an insider told Page Six at the time.
In April, friends of the duchess gave eager fans a look into the products that will be dropped as part of the brand, with fashion designer Tracy Robbins sharing photos on her Instagram Story of a strawberry jam jar with the American Riviera Orchard branding.
“Thank you for the delicious basket!” Tracy wrote over the Story post. “I absolutely love this jam so not sure I'm sharing with anyone ?? @americanrivieraorchard Thank you M! #montecitogoodness #americanrivieraorchard.”
When Will American Riviera Orchard Launch?
Though no official launch date has been shared by the duchess, a source told People that Meghan will likely make American Riviera Orchard available by late spring 2024.
"Meghan finds the name American Riviera Orchard perfect. It feels authentic to her. She can’t wait for the website to launch," the insider told the publication, adding that the brand "will reflect everything that she loves — family, cooking, entertaining and home decor."
"She is excited about her latest, personal venture. This is something she’s been wanting to do for a while. She is excited to share her style and things that she loves."
Why Did Meghan Shut Down Her Former Blog?
Meghan shut down her former blog in 2017, the same year she and Harry got engaged. Since then, the Horrible Bosses star has taken a four-year hiatus from Instagram.
Fans questioned the timing of Meghan’s new venture, noticing the endeavor was announced at the same time the royal family faced scrutiny over Kate Middleton’s alleged disappearance. Originally the palace announced Kate was recovering from a planned abdominal surgery and wouldn’t return to her duties until Easter.
Kate remained out of the public eye for several weeks and conspiracy theories began to ignite, hinting something else was wrong with her.
To debunk the rumors, Kate shared a Mother’s Day tribute with her three children on Kensington Palace’s official X account on March 10, 2024. This ended up causing even more of a stir, as eagled-eyed fans quickly noticed that the image had been altered, and many were convinced that it wasn’t even a recent picture of Kate.
“Like many amateur photographers, I do occasionally experiment with editing,” the princess admitted one day later via the official Kensington Palace X account. “I wanted to express my apologies for any confusion the family photograph we shared yesterday caused. I hope everyone had a very happy Mother’s Day.”
