The Duchess of Sussex emerges from the kitchen of her California mansion to the jazzy sounds of Nancy Wilson's 1960s song 'I Wish You Love' in a teaser announcing her new lifestyle brand.
Although little was revealed in the 16-second video, Meghan's new Instagram account has already amassed hundreds of thousands of online followers.
The American Riviera Orchard brand features a golden emblem with the word “Montecito.” Montecito is the name of the upscale town near Santa Barbara where Duchess Meghan, Prince Harry, and their children live, and is known as the “American Riviera.''
Posts on American Riviera Orchard's Instagram account feature a retro, grainy image of hands arranging flowers, Meghan stirring a pot in the kitchen, and a woman in a ball gown standing at the end of a long colonnade. A short video is posted.
What exactly she sells remains unclear, but an internet search of pending U.S. trademark applications reveals that American Riviera Orchards sells cookbooks, household goods such as decanters and kitchen linens, It has been revealed that they are planning to sell food products such as marmalade and jelly.
The placement of certain items in the teaser video has also led some to speculate that they may form part of her new line in the coming months. An elegant bowl and glass decanter can be seen in the kitchen behind Meghan.
Lindsay Imler, a digital marketing specialist at Columbia, Missouri-based Intero Digital, says the video's sense of mystery is very intentional.
It's “very understated” and “very attractive,” she says. She also reflects America's fairy-tale-like perception of the curious foreign royal family. This led to a flurry of Google searches from people wondering what she was up to now.
Pauline McLellan, professor of marketing and consumer studies at Royal Holloway, University of London, said it appears Meghan is trying to revive her former brand, The Tig, which she closed after her engagement to Prince Harry.
When it ended, Meghan was better known as a former Hollywood actress than a lifestyle influencer, with more than 3 million followers on Instagram.
Professor McClellan told BBC News: “I would see this as more of a domestic goddess market.” “It creates a new, dignified connection and promotes elegance.”
She added that the video “evokes tradition” and “links to aspects of the royal family.”
She says the image of “kitchen domestic goddesses” like Martha Stewart and Nigella Lawson appears to be selling directly to U.S. buyers.
Kelly Kelly, who has worked as an interior designer in California for 30 years, agrees that the promotion seems “rooted in history or more European in terms of aesthetics,” but still has “an easy-going vibe.” A healthy amount of “good” California remains. Chic has been added to the mix.
Meghan appears to be leaning into her role as a wife and mother, touting her “feeling of domestic bliss.” Mrs Kelly said she wouldn't be surprised if Meghan's companies included her children's clothing line or nursery collection, for example. Her husband may also later appear in marketing materials, which is likely what consumers expect from her lifestyle brand.
The shortness of the announcement video didn't stop critics from mocking the brand. Some people joke that the 10-syllable “American Riviera Orchard” sounds like the name of a child born to a Hollywood celebrity.
Commentators have already begun drawing comparisons to products sold by Gwyneth Paltrow's company Goop and celebrities such as Kim Kardashian and Reese Witherspoon.
American journalist Elizabeth Holmes, who wrote a best-selling book on royal fashion in 2020, said royal watchers believe Meghan's “next chapter” includes bringing back Tig's website “in some form.” He says he expects that there is a high possibility that this will happen.
Mrs Holmes said that since returning to the US, Meghan had “a kind of laid-back, sophisticated ease of California”.
The announcement came just days after sister-in-law Duchess Kate had to deal with a photoshopping incident in the UK, which sparked public curiosity about the royal family's private life.
Digital marketing specialist Lindsay Imler finds the “juxtaposition” of the two royal women in media attention interesting. Both have recently become more cautious about sharing information about their daily lives.
“For a long time, Meghan was negative and Kate was positive, but I feel like there's been a noticeable change in the last few days,” she says.
The launch has sparked some public speculation that the lifestyle brand may be in breach of an agreement with the royal family not to use the royal titles Her Royal Highness and Royal Highness for commercial purposes.
So far, companies have not used these titles. They have been instructed to uphold the Royal Family's values when they leave their roles as working royals, and although there is limited information available so far about the new brand, it appears they are following that guidance.
Buckingham Palace could theoretically file a complaint if Meghan's products were deemed to conflict with products it sells through its Royal Collection website, but conflicts arise It's too early to tell whether that's the case.
With additional reporting by Daniela Relph
