Meghan Markle has launched a luxury lifestyle brand American Riviera Orchard with a glitzy Instagram video.
The Duchess is seen cooking in a stunning rustic kitchen, while a woman’s hands are seen arranging pink and white flowers.
Her new project is said to have been in the works for more than a year – and feature ‘all the things that are close to her heart’.
The flash company is set to coincide with the launch of a new cookery show featuring Meghan for Netflix – where she will be making and selling her own products. It will lead onto a book and blog to go alongside her cookery displays.
It comes on the same day that Prince William and his estranged brother Prince Harry come together for the Diana Legacy Awards at the Science Museum in London and amid the photo editing fiasco in which The Princess of Wales admitted to digitally editing a photograph of her and her children on Mother’s Day.
But neither will be in the room at the same time, even virtually, in what will be the event’s 25th anniversary. It follows claims by a royal expert that Princess Diana would have insisted the brothers set their feud aside to present the award in her name.
The announcement comes on the same night as Prince Harry and Prince William are set to make a rare joint appearance at the Diana Legacy Award event at the Science Museum in London – but neither will be in the room at the same time, even virtually.
Meghan’s new project is said to have been in the works for more than a year – and feature ‘all the things that are close to her heart’
The plush video comes alongside a series of nine cryptic Instagram posts, making up the logo of the brand alongside the name: ‘American Riviera Orchard Montecito’
The brand is set to work as an extension of her former lifestyle blog The Tig, an insider told Page Six Style
The video starts with a washed-out video of a woman arranging white and pink pastel flowers
An insider told the Daily Mail: ‘It’s a lifestyle and cooking brand called American Riviera Orchard.
‘The brand is meant to coincide with the launch of a new cookery show for Netflix. Meghan will be making, and selling, products such as jams.
‘And at some point there will be a book and blog etc.’
The brand will focus on home, garden, food and general lifestyle wares.
The plush video comes alongside a series of nine cryptic Instagram posts, making up the logo of the brand alongside the name: ‘American Riviera Orchard Montecito’.
Comments have been disabled on the Instagram posts and the page links to a new website of the same name where people can enter their email address and ‘join the waitlist’.
Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliam told MailOnline: ‘The Sussexes in my opinion do nothing by accident and timing is often absolutely pivotal. We found that out one way over the weekend and we’ve now just been reminded that there may be more shots in their locker than some of us thought. And it’s no accident.
‘For years they’ve been unpredictable but they have been predictable in one sense, and that is the unerring timing when they believe it’s beneficial to get information out. They don’t do anything by accident.’
The new venture has been in the works for some time, with rumours of a commercial venture ‘genuine to who she is’ coming out last year.
Insiders claimed future projects for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will ‘reflect their differing professional interests and talents and are the result of significant thought about their future direction and careers’.
It then fades to reveal Meghan cooking in a stunning kitchen, with copper pans hanging over her head as she whisks
The video continues with an image of a woman in a long dress, backlit through an Italian-style corridor leading outside.
A source claimed: ‘They are both working on their own things. They are fully supportive of each other’s concepts and ideas, but they are different from one another, they have different meanings.’
The company is set to work as an extension of her former lifestyle blog The Tig, an insider added to Page Six Style.
A source told the American site: ‘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.’
The video starts with a washed-out video of a woman arranging white and pink pastel flowers.
It then fades to reveal Meghan cooking in a stunning kitchen, with copper pans hanging over her head as she whisks.
It continues with an image of a woman in a long dress, backlit through an Italian-style corridor leading outside.
The glamorous scenes are set against the strains of Nancy Wilson’s 1960 tune I Wish You Love.
Earlier this year, the Sussex’s launched a rebrand of their website, Sussex.com, which is a ‘one stop shop’ for all of their activities.
Sussex.com is minimalistic by design and features a large photograph of the couple on the home page.
It has links to the Archewell Foundation and Archewell Productions, as well as the controversial sussexroyal.com website launched in 2020 to coincide with their decision to step back as working royals.
It is thought the Duke and Duchess will use the site to share their personal and official updates, keeping people informed through the ‘News’ section.
Their ‘About’ page reads: ‘The Office of Prince Harry and Meghan, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex is shaping the future through business and philanthropy.
‘This includes: The Archewell Foundation, Archewell Productions, patronages, ventures, and organizations which receive the support of the couple, individually and/or together.’
There is also a page dedicated to Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex and Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, detailing their backgrounds and achievements.
Prince Harry’s biography references his 10-years served in the British Armed Forces and as a New York Times bestselling author of Spare, ‘a memoir of his life told with compassion, vulnerability and unflinching honesty’.
Meghan’s biography refers to her advocacy work, her career in the entertainment industry as a lead role in the TV series ‘Suits’ and as a NY Times bestselling author of children’s book ‘The Bench’ and ‘Together: Our Community Kitchen’.
Their biographies include the line: ‘They are committed to their mission: Show Up, Do Good. They hold the value that charitable work should not simply be ‘a handout, but rather a hand held’.
The Archewell Foundation was set up by the Duke and Duchess to ‘build meaningful initiatives’ and ‘drive long-term change’.
Archewell Productions was founded in 2020 and is ‘dedicated to illuminating thought-provoking and diverse narratives that underscore our common humanity and celebrate community.’
This is a breaking story, more to follow….
