Those in distress may not realize that the British royal family is currently in turmoil. The Duchess of Sussex and Prince Harry's wife has gone into exile amid conspiracy theories surrounding King Charles' cancer diagnosis and the “missing” Princess Kate, who has barely been seen in public since Christmas 2023. Royal Meghan Markle is hopeful. To bring a little calmer domesticity to the royal family. How can I ask? Of course, because it's a new lifestyle her brand. Enter: the American Riviera.
Colleagues at The Cut reported on Markle's quick return to Instagram this week, where she whipped up what appeared to be baked goods to a vintage Nancy Sinatra song to soft launch her new lifestyle empire. I realized I had completed my glam story. She has experience in this field. Before becoming the bride of Princess Diana's youngest son, Markle was both an actress and a mainstay behind the travel and beauty writing platform Tig, where she shares tips on food and favorites in cities like Lisbon. They were sharing recipes. . Tig closed in 2017, the same year Markle got engaged to Prince Harry and her royal fairy tale began.
But, of course, that didn't exactly work out. The pair married, but Markle and Prince Harry were removed from senior royal duties after months of harsh (often racist) treatment from the Royals Industrial Estate and the British press. announced that it would be withdrawing from the company and moving its base to California. Once there, Markle was involved in some high-profile podcast development deals with Netflix, but the latter didn't turn out particularly well for the Sussexes.
So it's perhaps no surprise that Markle is making a comeback after a long hiatus from the world of Instagram and social media influencers. Cut off from the vast (mostly plundered) resources of the British royal family, the couple must somehow figure out a way to make money. According to filings with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, Markle has registered the American Riviera trademark for “jelly, jam, and marmalade,” along with cookbooks and other kitchen items.
In other words, Ms. Markle is aiming to become the next Joanna Gaines, who has built a vast empire spanning televisions, home goods, and even an entire retail and restaurant complex from her Waco, Texas, home base. It seems so. Ms. Markle is particularly well-positioned for that kind of success, given that Markle-endorsed products like Rossy's ballet flats quickly disappeared from her store shelves as soon as she was photographed wearing them. be. One can only imagine the digital havoc that would ensue the moment she started selling her Clementine Marmalade in California.
Even though she didn't work in the royal family for long, Markle brought her fame to a world where most influencers struggle to make their (often extravagant) lives seem normal. . But from the beginning, American Riviera has positioned itself as an upscale and aspirational brand, and it's literally in the name. The font used in the logo is a perfect combination of royal letters and relaxed California cool elements, providing consumers with the proximity to feel like royalty, even if they are far away. It shows that. At least, like rich, cool Californians.
And it's clear that there are plenty of consumers who are dying to see what Markle does next. At the time of this writing, the account had gained over 250,000 followers in just a few hours, but that number has only been ticking upwards. It remains to be seen whether Markle can come close to Mr. Gaines' dominance in the world of home interiors, but one thing is clear: the Sussexes are coming for your kitchen.
