In March, Meghan Markle announced the launch of American Riviera Orchard, a luxury lifestyle brand inspired by life in Montecito. The brand will sell “tableware, drinkware including decanters, kitchen linens, and edibles such as jellies, jams, marmalades and spreads.” While many royal fans were excited about the brand, others mocked the products. And it seems Markle has taken the criticism to heart.
“Meghan was in tears when the brand launched and her new jam was widely mocked as expensive and unexceptional,” royal expert Tom Quinn told the Mirror. “She has now reached the point where she believes everything she does is unfairly criticised. Like her husband, she feels people are attacking her unfairly and can't understand why people don't praise her work.”
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Quinn added: “She is particularly sensitive to any criticism of her lavish lifestyle in the US, which in her view is something to be celebrated, not criticised.”
Despite some criticism of the brand, Markle is said to be “thrilled” about the line's planned launch later this year. “She's excited about her latest personal venture,” a source told People magazine in March. “It's something she's wanted to do for a long time. She's excited to share her style and the things she loves.”
Currently, the brand's website and Instagram account simply feature the logo in gold cursive on an elegant off-white background.
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American Riviera Orchard is just one of Markle's big upcoming ventures. She and her husband, Prince Harry, have spearheaded numerous endeavors and projects, including a Netflix documentary, a podcast, and two recent tours to Nigeria and Colombia. They're also reportedly developing “one film, one TV show, and two unscripted shows” for Netflix. This year, the couple also launched “The Parents' Network,” an initiative to support families affected by cyberbullying.
Another royal expert, Hugo Vickers, recently argued that the pair's busy schedules could be a way of staying in the public eye and trying to maintain their brand. “If they don't keep coming up with new initiatives and new products, they'll fade away like so many other celebrities, and I think their future looks pretty bleak,” Vickers said.
