Inside Meghan Markle's business, American Riviera Orchard

After returning to Instagram for the first time in four years, Meghan Markle used the social media platform to announce her latest business venture in mid-March 2024.

The Duchess of Sussex, 42, revealed the launch of a new lifestyle brand called American Riviera Orchard.

A new website and Instagram page also went live for Meghan Markle’s new project ahead of the announcement.

The bio for the American Riviera Orchard Instagram page simply reads, “By Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex. Established 2024,” and we haven’t been given too many details about the brand as of yet.

At the time, the Instagram account uploaded a story of the Duchess of Sussex picking flowers and cooking in a kitchen, hinting at the type of the project this will be.

The brand uploaded this story last week. (Image: Instagram)

The name of the new brand, American Riviera Orchard, seems to be a reference to Meghan and her husband Prince Harry’s current place of residence: Santa Barbara in California.

According to Travel & Leisure, for more than 100 years Santa Barbara has been known as the American Riviera “because of its temperate climate and lush landscapes, as well as its robust food and wine culture.”

The logo for the brand also includes the word Montecito, which is the specific neighbourhood in which the Sussexes live.

The new brand’s logo. (Image: American Riviera Orchard)

A trademark application for the American Riviera Orchard brand reveals that the lifestyle business intends to sell tableware, drinkware, kitchen linens, edible treats such as jellies, jams, marmalade and spreads, and cookbooks.

It seems her range is already expanding, despite the business not having officially launched yet, as the Duchess of Sussex has continued to pursue trademarks for more products.

There have been additional trademark applications for cosmetic products, home home décor, stationery, linens, kitchen appliances, condiments, yoga equipment, gardening gear and pet accessories.

Not only that, but the 42-year-old also sent some of her homemade jam to close friends and fellow celebrities. The recipients included the likes of Kris Jenner, Tracee Ellis Ross, Mindy Kaling, Chrissy Teigen, and Meghan’s Suits co-star Abigail Spencer.

A source told Us Weekly that the Duchess is “very pleased” with the strong start American Riviera Orchard has had so far.

“The rollout for American Riviera Orchard is already off to a strong start. The website has over 100,000 who have signed up to hear about the first products launched,” an insider shared. “Meghan is very pleased with the early interest it has gained.”

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The brand also appears to be similar to Meghan’s previous lifestyle blog, The Tig, which was used from 2014 to 2017.

On The Tig, Meghan shared insights into her favourite foods, travel discoveries and personal reflections.

“I’ve never been the type of person to do only one thing. I guess that’s how my website was born,” Meghan said in her 2022 documentary Harry & Meghan.

“There was fashion, there was tons of food, and travel, so it was all of the things that I loved. And The Tig wasn’t just a hobby. It became a really successful business.”

Meghan has dabbled in lifestyle-related work in the past. (Image: Getty)

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are no strangers to starting new businesses, as they have embarked on numerous ventures over the past few years.

Meghan launched a podcast named Archetypes and also invested in an oat milk coffee company. Meanwhile, Prince Harry released his memoir, Spare, in 2023.

The couple have also made deals with Netflix, releasing a docuseries about themselves in 2022 and will also be producing a number of projects for the streaming giant too. Two of these non-fiction series have reportedly already wrapped production, with Meghan appearing in a cooking show and Prince Harry in a docuseries about his beloved sport of polo.

Additionally, the pair have continually worked on their non-profit organisation, the Archewell Foundation, for many years.

Meghan and Harry at the Archewell Foundation‘s World Mental Health Day Parents’ Summit in 2023. (Image: Getty)

The launch of the American Riviera Orchard Instagram page marks the first time either of the Sussexes have used social media since 2020 when the pair made their last update to their @SussexRoyal Instagram page after stepping back as working members of the royal family.

Meghan shut down all of her personal social media profiles and The Tig blog after getting engaged to Prince Harry in 2018.

Profile Charlotte Knoke

Charlotte Knoke is a digital content producer working across Now To Love, Woman’s Day and TV Week at Are Media. She writes about all things entertainment and lifestyle and has a keen interest in pop culture, royals, fashion, books, travel and women’s sport. Charlotte graduated from the University of Technology Sydney in 2023 with a Bachelor of Communication where she majored in Public Communication and minored in Social and Political Sciences. She has previously worked at a wide variety of companies including Netball Australia, Booktopia, Sportsgirl and Women’s Sport Australia. At these various companies, Charlotte gained valuable experience in a range of different areas including marketing, communication, social media, copywriting, public relations and journalism. In her current role as a digital content producer, Charlotte particularly enjoys writing about the latest TV shows, celebrity news, fashion picks, upcoming movies, shopping content and news about both the British and international royal families.