Meghan Markle is launching American Riviera Orchard on her own. Is she thinking about leaving Prince Harry behind?

The Duchess of Sussex’s brand would sell jams, wine, and lifestyle products.

Royal fans are buzzing with anticipation as Meghan Markle gears up to launch her new lifestyle brand, American Riviera Orchard. The brand promises a range of products including jams, wine, and other lifestyle items, signaling Meghan’s return to her entrepreneurial roots.

While Meghan is prominently featured in the promotional video, Prince Harry is noticeably absent, suggesting this venture is entirely her own. Branding strategist Lucie Green speculates this may be a deliberate move.

“Speculative – but strategically it could be so that there’s no sense that she’s leveraging a direct royal connection, or Harry isn’t at least, for commercial ends,” Green explained. “She has credibility as a former lifestyle influencer and entrepreneur in this space. He doesn’t. She’s building a new business based on her previous experiences and ventures.”

This new endeavor harks back to Meghan’s days running her now-defunct lifestyle blog, The Tig, which featured recipes, travel, and fashion guides. “I think she has more credibility and has historically leaned more towards lifestyle projects vs Harry who has remained mainly philanthropic in his focus,” added Green.

The first ARO products

In March, Meghan teased the launch of American Riviera Orchard on Instagram, where the company bio reads “by Meghan, Duchess of Sussex.” Green suggests this branding could be crucial in creating a ‘for women, by women’ narrative. “I think she’s always identified herself as a female entrepreneur and a woman in business. And connected with other female leaders and celebrities on this basis,” she said.

Despite the initial excitement, Meghan has yet to make a sale, likely due to her efforts in courting investors. “It could be that she’s still courting investment,” Green noted.

“If the brand is direct to consumer, versus wholesale, there will need to be a substantial marketing budget for consumer acquisition. It could be that the jams were the precursor and example to show proof of concept to talent and investors,” said the specialist.

So far, Meghanhas sent branded strawberry jams to over 50 friends and influencers, including Chrissy Teigen, Heather Dorak, Tracy Robbins, and Kris Jenner. She also sent raspberry jam and dog treats to Prince Harry’s polo pal Nacho Figueras.

Possible future offers

The Duchess is reportedly planning to launch a bottle of rosé as the first product available to the public, following the trend of celebrities like Cameron Diaz, George Clooney, Brad Pitt, and Kylie Minogue.

Future offerings from American Riviera Orchard may include bedding, pillows, soaps, home décor, fragrances, cookbooks, and cookie mixes. A source close to Meghan shared, “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.”

With her new venture, Meghan Markle is poised to make a significant mark in the lifestyle industry, showcasing her entrepreneurial spirit and passion for wellness and quality products.