Meghan Markle's latest entrepreneurial effort, American Riviera Orchard, met a swift and unfortunate demise in March.
With much fanfare, she introduced what was intended to be a groundbreaking lifestyle brand, but instead of dazzling the public with innovation and creativity, the launch left many perplexed and underwhelmed. The rollout was lackluster, featuring vague Instagram posts and peculiar videos of Meghan wandering her kitchen in a ballgown—bizarrely disconnected from any clear messaging about the brand. Most notably, there was an absence of actual products.
Typically, a lifestyle brand offers tangible items for sale, yet Meghan’s debut provided neither merchandise nor a shopping option. This glaring omission led to widespread confusion, with many questioning whether her celebrity status alone was supposed to fill the gap. Unfortunately, the launch garnered more mockery than admiration, but Meghan likely saw any form of attention as advantageous, embracing the idea that even bad publicity can generate buzz.
One of the more notorious blunders that followed was what some dubbed the "Jam Scam." Meghan reportedly sent 50 jars of homemade jam to select celebrities, yet no one has ever confirmed receiving them. Questions swirled: Did she actually make the jam herself, or merely slap a homemade label on store-bought preserves? The lack of clarity surrounding this move only deepened public skepticism. Instead of rebounding, Meghan doubled down, releasing yet more jars of jam along with biscuits—seemingly believing that this would somehow revive her faltering brand. Rumors began circulating about a potential cooking show to complement these ventures, but, like many of Meghan's projects, this too failed to materialize. Instead, she was spotted roaming farmers' markets and attending summits in the Hamptons, apparently in search of investors to back her floundering enterprise. However, it's difficult to imagine why anyone would invest in a venture that appears to be on such shaky ground.
Adding to her setbacks, Meghan's attempt to trademark American Riviera Orchard was rejected by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. The reason for the rejection? The term "American Riviera" is a well-known moniker for Santa Barbara, and simply appending "Orchard" wasn’t enough to make it unique. Now, she faces a deadline of three months to amend her application or risk having it permanently dismissed. Moreover, she will need to pay an additional $700 to keep her faltering venture afloat. This isn’t Meghan’s first trademark misstep. Her earlier attempt to trademark the name Archetypes for her podcast was also rejected. By now, one might expect her to recognize that branding may not be her strongest suit.
In stark contrast, King Charles seems to be showing Meghan how it’s done. The King recently launched a line of limited-edition scarves in collaboration with eco-conscious designers Finn and Omi. Inspired by the late Queen Elizabeth’s love of vibrant colors, these scarves have been flying off the shelves at Sandringham, priced at £85 each. Not only has Charles found success with this venture, but he has also managed to incorporate sustainability, using materials like milk cartons and invasive weeds in the production process. As Meghan watches from California, she must feel the sting of seeing King Charles—managing a kingdom, dealing with health concerns, and fulfilling his role as a grandfather—effortlessly sell out his collection. Meanwhile, she struggles to secure a simple trademark for a brand she launched six months ago.
The fundamental issue with Meghan’s approach seems to be her desire for instant success. She appears to want to leap from obscurity to empire overnight, bypassing the hard work and long-term effort that most successful brands require. In the meantime, the royal family continues to quietly outmaneuver her, achieving success with a fraction of the fanfare—and none of the drama—that seems to follow her every move.
