Palace refuses to comment on Meghan's venture amid fears it breaks Queen deal
Buckingham Palace has refused to comment on Meghan Markle's new business venture amid claims it breaches the deal she made with the late Queen.
The Duchess of Sussex's American Riviera Orchard - thought to be The Tig 2.0, her defunct lifestyle blog - went live with a promotional video last night. The mum-of-two and former Hollywood actress was seen baking in her kitchen and tending to her dog at her sprawling Montecito mansion.
Meghan and Prince Harry thrashed out a deal with the late Queen Elizabeth prior to their departure from the Firm in March 2020 as they bid to become financially independent. This saw them agree to never use their royal titles for profit - but American Riviera Orchard notifies subscribers about "products".
It comes as a royal expert said the launch coinciding with Prince William's appearance at the Diana Awards in London was "no accident". The Prince of Wales handed prizes to a group of winners at the London ceremony, before leaving at around 8.15pm ahead of his brother Prince Harry's separate online appearance.
But just moments before he arrived at the event, Harry's wife Meghan launched the online video. A short time after, while William was still speaking at the legacy event, the Sussexes revealed the winner of their $100,000 NAACP – Archewell Foundation Digital Civil Rights Award.
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Meghan's Riviera Orchard brand was launched on Thursday (American Riviera Orchard)The timing of the two announcements has been questioned by royal experts, with royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliam saying "the Sussexes in my opinion do nothing by accident".
In a post on X, the Mirror's royal editor Russell Myers said: "If you sign up for info on Meghan Markle's new business venture, you'll be notified about 'products'. Clear breach of the agreement by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to not profit off their royal titles, is it not?Watch this space."
A spokesperson for the Palace said they did not wish to comment on the matter.
American Riviera Orchard - which already has over 30,000 followers on Instagram - shared the promotional video on Stories while the profile's grid makes up the gold calligraphy logo of her new brand. The video shows the Duchess of Sussex at her Montecito home set to the tune, I Wish You Love by Nancy Wilson.
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The company's Instagram account bio reads simply: "by Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex". The page's description also states the business was "established" in 2024, with a link to its website, americanriviera.com.
The website invites people to sign up for a waiting list, with little to no details explained when clicking through. After someone signs up, they receive a message that reads: "Yes, I would love you to be the first to know about products, availability, and updates from American Riviera Orchard."
American Riviera Orchard's name appears to be a reference to Santa Barbara, the town in California where Meghan lives with her husband Prince Harry, and their two children Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. The site looks very similar to her much-loved lifestyle blog, The Tig. Meghan founded The Tig, named after her favourite red wine, in 2014 while starring in legal drama Suits - which is now one of the most-watched shows on Netflix.
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