Meghan Markle's latest venture teetered on the brink of collapse amidst accusations of mimicking King Charles and other members of the royal family.
For decades, the royal family has been the epitome of influence, yet it appears that only Meghan Markle draws severe criticism for leveraging her royal title to promote products. Following the announcement of her upcoming lifestyle brand, American Riviera Orchard, set to offer a range of consumer goods like cookware and home decor, Megan faced a barrage of backlash even before the brand's launch.
Social media users and the media alike have dubbed it a potential disaster, likening it to Gwyneth Paltrow's controversial brand, Goop. Despite the precedent set by royals like Prince Charles, whose organic food brand Duchy Originals has raked in millions, Meghan's attempt at utilizing her influence has been met with ridicule due to her departure from the royal family.
The notion that royalty can divorce itself from social and cultural influence is deemed absurd by experts like Gareth Russell, who highlighted the significant impact of royal support and patronage. While the role of influencers in the 21st century is muddied by commercial interests, Meghan's endeavor isn't fundamentally different from her royal counterparts'.
However, her decision to retain a royal association while no longer serving as a working member of the royal family has drawn sharp criticism. Despite publicly declaring her intent to become financially independent and distance herself from royal duties, Meghan's move to leverage her royal titles for her brand ventures has stirred controversy.
Moreover, Meghan's detractors point to her apparent imitation of King Charles's High Grove Orchard, both in name and product offerings, as evidence of her clinging to a royal status for relevance. Speculation abounds that Meghan is relying on her royal connections to navigate the competitive landscape of Hollywood, attempting to straddle both royal tradition and celebrity culture to remain in the spotlight. However, her efforts seem futile as criticism mounts against her perceived lack of substantial contributions beyond royal gossip.
Royal expert Kennedy suggests that Meghan's attempts to bask in the glow of royal association may be a desperate bid to maintain her relevance amidst dwindling attention. With gossip columns increasingly focused on other members of the royal family, Meghan's strategy to leverage her royal connections appears transparent.
Meanwhile, speculations about Prince Harry's ambitions for Meghan to ascend to the throne only fuel rumors of a more sinister plot to undermine the royal family. Angela Levin suggests that Harry's desire to see Meghan as queen stems from a twisted scheme to dismantle his own family, viewing Meghan as the rightful heir to the throne.
