Meghan Markle is reportedly facing challenges in recruiting staff for her new brand, according to royal expert Tom Quinn.
In March, Meghan quietly launched her business venture, American Riviera Orchard, by creating a new Instagram account. She posted a short video trailer on her Instagram story to tease the brand's aesthetic and shared its logo across a collage of nine grid posts. Despite distributing 50 jars of handmade strawberry jam to a curated list of famous friends, the brand's momentum appears to have stalled.
Royal author and expert Tom Quinn claims Meghan is struggling to find staff because she expects them to be both innovative and compliant with her directives. Speaking exclusively to the Mirror, Quinn said one of Meghan's biggest challenges when she lived at Kensington Palace was her belief that staff should respond immediately to her requests without the traditional English politeness of asking if they would mind performing tasks such as ordering a pizza, arranging transportation, or organizing a lunch. He added that Meghan's demanding outlook is contributing to her difficulties in staffing her new brand. While she wants her team to bring their own ideas, she also expects them to fully comply with her wishes.
Quinn further noted that Meghan's strong self-belief is both an asset and a challenge. To make her brand successful, she needs to accept advice and allow staff who have more expertise in certain areas to make some decisions. However, Meghan is not a natural delegator, making this process difficult for her.
The hard launch date for American Riviera Orchard remains unknown, with the brand's website currently displaying only the logo and a function to join the waitlist. Despite gifting strawberry jam to 50 influencers and celebrities, including Kris Jenner, the brand seems to have come to a standstill in recent weeks.
According to sources on social media platform X, tensions arose between American Riviera Orchard and a consultant who was closely working with Meghan Markle to critique the brand's marketing, business, and development strategies. The consultant, initially brought on during the brand's expansion, noted that Meghan became distant when the consultant was invited to an event she wanted to attend. Additionally, Meghan reportedly became visibly irritated if anyone shared personal anecdotes or spoke without being spoken to. The consultant is now reportedly unreachable by text or email.
The event in question was likely Gwyneth Paltrow's luncheon for 40 people in Montecito. Meghan's strict rule that no one could speak in her presence without being spoken to has been seen as taking her royal status to an extreme level. The consultant, who is experienced and well-connected, naturally felt sidelined. Observers suggest that Meghan's belief in her superiority, stemming from her marriage, has led her to underestimate the importance of respect and collaboration in business. Many believe she would have been more successful if she had adopted a more approachable and collaborative attitude.
