CELEBRITY
Inside Meghan PLC: The Duchess of Sussex is set to sell everything from spoons to calligraphy pens and dog collars… with no mention of Harry. ALISON BOSHOFF reveals what to expect
Since erupting into public consciousness in late 2016 when her romance with Prince Harry became public, Meghan Markle has insisted on attaching two epithets to her name — humanitarian and feminist.
Back when she was a working member of the British Royal Family, this was how the biography on the institution’s web page — at her insistence — described her, and how she has determinedly portrayed herself since
Now, though, hot on the heels of the couple’s philanthropic relaunch with the sussex.com website, comes Meghan’s own passion project.
And — never mind the good works and the feminism — it appears that it is as a homemaker that Meghan now seeks to shine.
Via the rather clumsily named American Riviera Orchard, she will be selling everything from spoons and calligraphy pens, to dog beds and bird-feeders, as well as nut butters and jams
Indeed, when one reads the full list of wares the Duchess of Sussex is potentially seeking to sell, it’s difficult to avoid the conclusion that this new company heralds nothing less than the birth of Meghan PLC: an all-encompassing lifestyle brand for those who are keen to imitate her trademark glossy ‘stealth wealth’ look.
Indeed, filings at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office mention a very broad range of goods which might be sold by her, ranging from gardening forks and string lights, branded tote bags, blankets, cushions, yoga mats, salsas, spices, chutneys and dog-collars.
Other proposed items for sale include servingware, decanters, tea and coffee cups, dinner services, matchbox holders, stationery of all kinds and cookbooks, both online and in print.
Described as ‘Tig 2.0’ it does appear to take up where her pre‑Harry blog, The Tig, left off and looks to aim to compete with Martha Stewart, the American billionaire cooking, crafts and gardening guru who rules the scene.
But while The Tig, the influencer brand Meghan created, had a larky, single girl vibe and was all about exotic mini-breaks, afternoons filled with rosé wine and high heels, her new project is very much the ‘mom’ version.
What, truly, could be less carefree than a napkin ring, guest book or table place card-holder, all of which speak to a distinctly studied kind of living? These are all items which she is seeking to sell under the trademark.
An application at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office shows that American Riviera Orchard may even one day open a shop, although sources say initially this will be an Instagram and website business.
First, there will be more filmed footage, which has been captured at the Montecito home she shares with Harry and their children Archie and Lilibet.
In the brief video released so far, Meghan has been seen cooking, wearing a white tank top, arranging roses and wafting around her garden in a black ballgown.
It’s thought their trusted friend Terry Wood, who produced the Oprah special and Meghan’s Archetypes podcasts, is involved in filming content for the website, which will initially show Meghan cooking and entertaining.
First out of the blocks will be videos which offer some recipes, and American Riviera Orchard will sell a limited range of goods, too. Sources indicate coffee cups and jams will be first.