The Duchess of Sussex has unveiled her new business venture with a surprise post on Instagram. On Thursday 14 March, Meghan Markle appeared to announce the launch of her lifestyle brand, American Riviera Orchard. A video shared to the brand's Instagram Story showed the 42-year-old duchess picking flowers and cooking in a kitchen, set to “I Wish You Love” by Nancy Wilson.
The bio for the new Instagram page reads, “by Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex” and “Established 2024”. The website for American Riviera Orchard simply shows the brand’s script-like logo with “Montecito” written underneath. Montecito is the neighbourhood where she and husband Prince Harry relocated after stepping down from the royal family in 2020.
According to a report from Page Six, Meghan’s American Riviera Orchard will focus on home, garden, food, and general lifestyle content. The brand will also reportedly sell a variety of home goods, such as cookbooks, foods, and kitchenware. The brand name is likely a nod to Santa Barbara, California, which has long been called the “American Riviera” for its temperate climate and food culture.
This is not Meghan’s first foray into lifestyle. Before her 2018 royal wedding, she ran The Tig, a lifestyle blog she created in 2014 and shut down in 2017. Meghan described the blog as a digital “conversation between girlfriends.” The Instagram post also marks her return to social media after deactivating her personal account upon joining the royal family. She teased the return in a 2022 interview with The Cut, saying, “I’m getting back… on Instagram.”
The launch of American Riviera Orchard comes amid controversy surrounding the royal family after the Princess of Wales admitted to editing a family photograph shared on Mother’s Day. The Independent has contacted representatives for Meghan Markle for comment.
