Meghan Markle’s New Company: Why She Wants Royal Endorsement For Lifestyle Brand

Meghan Markle has a new company, and fans will soon be able to partake. But what is it?

This spring, Meghan Markle’s lifestyle brand soft-launch inadvertently overlapped with Kate Middleton’s surprise appearance at Trooping The Colour.

The Duchess of Sussex had no control over that. She is, however, clearly very excited to launch her slew of new products.

American Riviera Orchard is Meghan Markle’s new company
Meghan Markle unceremoniously activated the brand’s Instagram page on March 15. At the time, she shared nothing about the project — leaving fans to pour through her trademark applications for clues.

American Riviera Orchard will, according to these documents, sell home decor and household goods such as kitchen items. That means decanters, napkin rings, utensils, table linens, and full-fledged cookbooks.

Then there are also edible goods, like jams, marmalades, veggie-based spreads, nut-based spreads, nut butters, and fruit butters.

As you can see, Meghan Markle’s new company’s Instagram page currently features one of those seemingly-obligatory composite image grids. A lot of companies use these designs when launching a company, especially before they’re ready to go live with the actual products.

However, it seems that American Riviera Orchard takes its name from Meghan and Harry’s Santa Barbara home. The areas surroudning the coastal city is known as the American Riviera.

As for the “Orchard” part, it’s an illustrative name that also refers to the amount of fruit involved in the products. Particularly when it comes to the jams, jellies, and preserves.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in May of 2024.
Britain’s Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, and Britain’s Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, react as Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu (unseen), gives a speech at the State Governor House in Lagos on May 12, 2024.
Meghan has shared her new company’s products with friends
As early as April, Meghan’s friends — from athletes to fashion designers and more — began showing off American Riviera Orchard gift baskets on their Instagram Stories.

Notably, Polo star Nacho Figueras — a close friend of Meghan and Harry — shared photos of his samples on June 14.

That came hours before Kate Middleton’s royal appearance at Trooping The Colour, a goofily named British celebration of the current monarch’s birthday. The timing was clearly not Meghan’s doing.

Meghan Markle in early to mid May of 2024.
Britain’s Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, looks on as she attends a Sit Out with Britain’s Prince Harry (unseen), Duke of Sussex, at the Nigerian Defence Headquarters in Abuja on May 11, 2024.
Notably, Figueras’ Instagram post showed raspberry jam (clearly not the only such product) along with some bone-shaped dog treats.

It’s unclear if American Riviera Orchard will include dog treats as part of its offerings at launch. These could always be customized gifts for a friend.

But the trademark application mentioned dog treats among other pet supplies. So it sounds like this line of products is part of the plan.

King Charles in September of 2022.
King Charles III delivers his address to the nation and the Commonwealth from Buckingham Palace following the death of Queen Elizabeth II on Thursday 8th September in Balmoral, on September 9, 2022.
Is Meghan Markle hoping for King Charles’ endorsement
According to a report by OK! magazine, Meghan Markle hopes that her father-in-law will show his support for her new company.

“Meghan is looking for support wherever she can get it,” an inside source claimed. “Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice are at the top of her list, but she is shooting even higher and would love to get King Charles to give his stamp of approval.”

The insider added: “Despite all the drama, Meghan does not see why they should not be able to drum up some support and backing.”

There’s no evidence that Meghan is seeking a royal endorsement for her new company– or that she is asking Harry to reach out. But if they do, perhaps we’ll see American Riviera Orchard gift baskets among the Brits in the near future.