Meghan ’desperate’ to save Kate as Photoshop scandal rumbles on - updates

Harry and Meghan are seen hugging woman whose sister was killed in the Uvalde school shooting

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry warmly embraced a woman whose sister was killed in the Uvalde school shooting.

It came as her son shared sweet new images of the Sussexes’ surprise visit to his family’s home in honour of his mum’s birthday. Harry put his hand on his heart and came over all emotional as he watched his wife go in for a huge hug with the woman who was mourning the loss of her sister.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex did their best to raise morale as they gathered together with the family. Meghan looked glam in a black top as she brought over a birthday cake with candles for the lady.

She looked touched by the surprise gesture as she held on to Meghan, and Harry looked on proudly. Irma Garcia bravely sacrificed her own life during the mass shooting in Texas in a bid to allow her young students to get to safety.

Meghan Markle Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are seen warmly embracing woman whose sister was killed in the Uvalde school shooting

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Meghan Markle will ’make six figures’ within weeks of new brand launch

Meghan Markle will ’make six figures’ within weeks of launching American Riviera Orchard, a brand expert has claimed.

It comes as Prince Harry’s wife was accused of using Princess Diana’s legacy to promote her new business. Brand expert Hayley Knight predicts Meghan is onto a big winner.

She told Daily Mail’s Femail: "Meghan will certainly see success quickly once the store is launched. We have seen with previous celebrity launches, that the demand is incredibly high, and products sell quickly."

Hayley added: "I can’t imagine Meghan will make less than six figures within the first few weeks of opening, if not in the first week if the company sells globally."

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Royal photoshop controversy that went viral before Kate’s photo gaffe

When Kate Middleton published the first official picture of her since she went into hospital for abdominal surgery, she had no idea it would hit the headlines for all the wrong reasons. The photograph of her and her three children may have looked like a normal family photo, but eagle eyed viewers spotted something suspicious. On closer examination, there is a missing part of Princess Charlotte’s sleeve, the edge of her skirt is misaligned and the positioning of Kate’s zip doesn’t look right.

The speculation led to it being pulled from circulation by news agencies and the next day Kate publicly for the "confusion" the image caused as she admitted to experimenting with editing. But it isn’t the first time a royal photograph has made headlines following Photoshop alterations. In 2005, the Spanish royal palace was forced to admit that a Christmas card photo of King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia with their grandchildren had been digitally put together.

The image shows the couple sitting on a red sofa with Queen Sofia holding newborn Princess Leonor. Sitting in front of the king and queen are Felipe, Victoria Eugenia, Miguel, Juan holding his sister Irene, and Pablo. But Juan Carlos’ right leg had been edited out of the photograph. At the time a spokesperson explained: "It is not a photograph of an official event - it is merely a compilation used as a Christmas greeting."

The Spanish Royal House, Spanish King Juan Carlos (top L) and Queen Sofia, holding their newborn grandchild Leonor, posing with all their grandchildren (Getty Images)

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Poignant reason Meghan Markle chose launch date for new brand American Rivieria Orchard

Attention to detail is something Meghan Markle has shown time and again - from her effortless style to her philanthropic work. So when she launched her new brand, America Riviera Orchard, on 14 March - royal watchers quickly clocked a special meaning the date might have, as it coincides with an important anniversary for her and Prince Harry.

It’s long been speculated that Meghan would launch a lifestyle brand since leaving life as a working member of the Royal Family behind in 2020. Before she even joined the House of Windsor, she ran a sucessful blog called The Tig, which covered everything from travel to wellness - making the idea of a similar venture a return to her roots.

The launch date of this new business coincided with the day the Sussexes took what Harry dubbed their "freedom flight", which officially marked their move to the US and the end of their time as working royals.

Poignant reason Meghan Markle chose launch date for new brand American Rivieria Orchard

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle during an official photocall at Kensington Palace (Chris Jackson/Getty Images)

Palace refuses to comment on Meghan’s new venture amid fears it breaks deal with Queen

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".

Palace refuses to comment on Meghan’s new venture amid fears it breaks deal with Queen

Harry thought he could ’step in’ during Royal crisis but William has ’drawn a line in the sand’

Prince Harry thought he could "step in" to help the Royal Family during a period of crisis but his brother Prince William "has had enough" and has "drawn a line in the sand", a former royal butler has said.

Royals have faced a difficult start to the year with the Princess of Wales and King Charles forced to take a step back from their duties due to health issues. As the situation remains unstable, Paul Burrell said it appears that "things are changing" in the family and that they "can’t keep going" at the same pace.

The former royal butler said the "only person" who can save the family is "stoic" and "reliable" Princess Anne, who is often referred to as the hardest-working royal. Paul added that the "natural" replacement for King Charles would have been William and Kate, but as she takes time out, the Prince of Wales is "too tied up" with his family.

Harry thought he could ’step in’ during Royal crisis but William has ’drawn a line in the sand’

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry (Getty Images)

Meghan Markle slams ’cruel’ social media toxicity days before Instagram relaunch

In less than a day, Meghan has amassed hundreds of thousands of followers on her new Instagram page, but only days beforehand, she opened up about her conflicted feelings on social media. Her new venture - American Riviera Orchard - comes after years of speculation that Meghan might return to the lifestyle space, after running a successful blog, The Tig, for years before she met Prince Harry.

The Tig and Meghan’s personal Instagram account were both closed down when she became engaged to Harry, and whilst the couple had official social media accounts during their tenure as working royals, this new page marks Meghan’s official return to the app since the Sussexes left the UK in 2020. However, the Duchess has been open about the fact she has mixed feelings about social media, to say the least.

Speaking at a panel at SXSW, Meghan broke down exactly why social media can be toxic and simultaneously incredible sources of education and information and why she keeps her "distance from it".

Meghan Markle slams ’cruel’ social media toxicity days before Instagram relaunch

Prince William ’putting on a brave face’ after photo editing scandal - and has one wish

A royal expert has praised Prince William, however, for "putting on a brave face" and continuing with his official engagements as planned amid the criticism, but claimed that William likely only has one wish in the face of it all.

The expert, Jennie Bond, told OK! that William has had to put on "a brave face" despite the huge amount of scrutiny he and his wife are under as she recovers privately from abdominal surgery that she underwent in January.

Not due to return to public duties until after Easter, Kate’s absence has put a strain on the royals, with King Charles also away from "public facing duties" for the time being as he undergoes regular treatment for cancer.

Prince William ’putting on a brave face’ after photo editing scandal - and has one wish

Prince William is said to be missing his wife who continues to recover from surgery (Getty Images)

Prince William ’leaning on unlikely ally’ during Kate Middleton health woes, expert claims

It’s been a challenging time for Prince William and the rest of the Royal Family, but an expert has claimed that the Prince of Wales has been finding support in an "unlikely ally" as of late.

For weeks, there has been intense speculation online about the status of Princess Kate’s health - after she underwent an abdominal surgery in January.

William is also dealing with his father King Charles’s cancer diagnosis, and as the monarch undergoes regular treatment, he has had to step back from "public facing duties" on the advice of his medical team, leaving the royals seriously short-staffed.

Amid all of this, there’s only been one person that Prince William could really lean on, the expert explained, but it isn’t who you might expect.

The Prince of Wales has been leaning heavily on his stepmother, Queen Camilla, the expert claimed, even though in the early years of their relationship, they were not as close as they are now.

Prince William ’leaning on unlikely ally’ during Kate Middleton health woes, expert claims

Meghan Markle is ’desperate’ to save Kate Middleton from Photoshop scandal, claims expert

Meghan Markle will likely be "sympathetic" towards the Princess of Wales as she’s found herself caught up in a Photoshop scandal, a royal expert claims

Princess Kate hadn’t been seen in public since before Christmas, having undergone abdominal surgery in January, when she released a picture of herself and her three children for Mother’s Day. Fans quickly jumped on the image and took to social media to share their conspiracy theories after spotting several "errors".

Kate was forced to apologise for the picture and admitted to editing the snap. Royal expert Christopher Andersen believes Meghan and Prince Harry will have been paying attention to the photogate chaos.

"Meghan, in particular, must be incredibly conflicted about all the incoming heat Kate and the royals are taking, not to mention the way the palace continues to bungle things on a daily basis," Christopher told Fox News Digital. He suggested Meghan will be "sympathetic" about all of the stress Kate is going through.

However, the royal author added: "On the other hand, the palace media machine has never been more exposed for what it is: a complete mess." He also described the situation as "a total disaster."

Meghan Markle is ’desperate’ to save Kate Middleton from Photoshop scandal, claims expert

Meghan Markle is pictured at the University of Johannesburg, South Africa (Getty)

Meghan Markle slams ’cruel’ social media toxicity days before Instagram relaunch

In less than a day, Meghan has amassed hundreds of thousands of followers on her new Instagram page, but only days beforehand, she opened up about her conflicted feelings on social media. Her new venture - American Riviera Orchard - comes after years of speculation that Meghan might return to the lifestyle space, after running a successful blog, The Tig, for years before she met Prince Harry.

The Tig and Meghan’s personal Instagram account were both closed down when she became engaged to Harry, and whilst the couple had official social media accounts during their tenure as working royals, this new page marks Meghan’s official return to the app since the Sussexes left the UK in 2020. However, the Duchess has been open about the fact she has mixed feelings about social media, to say the least.

(AFP via Getty Images)

Inside Meghan’s kitchen

Meghan Markle showcased her incredible designer kitchen in a video announcing her new lifestyle brand.

Eagle-eyed fans were quick to scrutinise Meghan and Harry’s gorgeous kitchen that featured heavily in the promotional video for American Riviera Orchard, with many praising the Duke and Duchess of Sussex for their rustic yet chic style. In the clip, Meghan can be seen cooking in the kitchen with a variety of items around her, suggesting they will be for sale on her new website.

The plush kitchen was revealed in a video (americanrivieraorchard)

Behind the expensive range cooker is exposed brickwork, and gives the kitchen a rustic vibe, which ties into the surroundings of their lavish mansion in Montecito. The muted colours also give off a feeling of luxury, and the kitchen is located in the perfect spot to be bathed in sunlight. Perfectly placed items are also dotted around the kitchen, including large ceramic bowls, metal decanters filled with olive oils and salad dressings, and stylish serveware fit for a former royal.

Poignant reason Meghan launched site yesterday

Attention to detail is something Meghan Markle has shown time and again - from her effortless style to her philanthropic work. So when she launched her new brand, America Riviera Orchard, on 14 March - royal watchers quickly clocked a special meaning the date might have, as it coincides with an important anniversary for her and Prince Harry.

It’s long been speculated that Meghan would launch a lifestyle brand since leaving life as a working member of the Royal Family behind in 2020. Before she even joined the House of Windsor, she ran a sucessful blog called The Tig, which covered everything from travel to wellness - making the idea of a similar venture a return to her roots.

The launch date of this new business coincided with the day the Sussexes took what Harry dubbed their "freedom flight", which officially marked their move to the US and the end of their time as working royals.

Poignant reason Meghan opted for date to launch new venture (Getty Images for Project Healthy)

What is Meghan going to sell?

Trademark documents have revealed what Meghan Markle is selling with her new brand American Riviera Orchard.

The Duchess of Sussex, 42, made the surprise announcement on Thursday, as she shared the news with shocked royal fans on Instagram. Posting a clip teasing details of the new lifestyle venture, Meghan revealed the brand had been “established in 2024”, and hinted that she would be selling homewares, as well as food, in the brief promotional video.

While she’s yet to confirm publicly what American Riviera Orchard will be selling, official trademark documents have shed light on what Meghan will be selling to fans. Filed on February 2 by a company called Mama Knows Best, LLC based in Beverly Hills, and pending review by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, American Riviera Orchard will be selling a variety of items, including tableware, table cutlery, servingware, decanters, dinnerware, chargers, napkin rings, and table placecard holders.

’Meghan Markle’s brand launch had awkward timing’ - expert

Meghan Markle’s new brand launch may have had ’awkward’ timing but the reality is she and Prince Harry are free agents and can "do what they like", according to a royal expert.

The Duchess of Sussex revealed her project American Riviera Orchard with an Instagram teaser on Thursday. The vintage-style video showed Meghan cooking and arranging white hydrangeas and roses set to Nancy Wilson’s song I Wish You Love. The clip closes with the brand’s logo, American Riviera Orchard, written in fine gold script above the word Montecito – a celebrity enclave near Santa Barbara in California where she and Prince Harry live.

The launch has raised eyebrows, especially in the UK as it coincided with Prince William giving a speech at the Diana Legacy Award in London. But according to royal expert and historian Dr Tessa Dunlop, the new project just shows how Harry and Meghan are keeping to their word.

Read her thoughts here.

Meghan has launched her new brand American Riviera Orchard (AFP via Getty Images)

Kate’s uncle shares his thoughts

Celebrity Big Brother’s Gary Goldsmith has shared when he thinks the Princess of Wales will be back in action and it’s very soon.

The uncle of the future queen has given his opinion as when he thinks his niece will return to royal duties. Speaking in an interview, he has said that he thinks that Kate will appear back in the public after Easter - which is when she was scheduled to come back.

After going through abdominal surgery, Kate has remained out of the public eye for two months while she recovered. Gary’s comments come after royal insiders confirmed the same time frame.

Gary appeared on Thursday’s GB News with Nigel Farage after being evicted from Celebrity Big Brother. Speaking about how Kate is recovering, he said: "I think she has the best support on the planet, she has the best people looking after her.

Gary left CBB last week (GB News)

Princess Anne visits Cheltenham

The Princess Royal and her husband, Sir Timothy Laurence, are at day four of the 2024 Cheltenham Festival at Cheltenham Racecourse today.

Known to love a flutter on the horses, Princess Anne is a former three-day eventing European champion, Olympian and amateur jockey, and closely involved with several equine charities.

The Princess Royal on day four of the 2024 Cheltenham Festival at Cheltenham (PA)

Kate Middleton photoshop row rumbles on

The world’s leading photo agency has relegated Kensington Palace to its blacklist and says it’s no longer a trusted source amid Kate’s Mother’s Day photo row.

In the image the Princess of Wales and her three children appeared to pose together, but it was soon pulled by a number of agencies, including Agence France-Presse, over concerns it may have been manipulated.

The princess apologised, claiming that she had done the editing herself. But AFP’s global news director Phil Chetwynd has confirmed the agency no longer considers the palace a source it can trust.

Kate apologised for the error (UK Press via Getty Images)

Mr Chetwynd continued to provide some context, saying that the decision to "kill" the photo share by the Princess of Wales was a rare one usually reserved for propaganda images dished out by global pariahs like North Korea and Iran.

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