What is American Riviera Orchard, Meghan's mysterious lifestyle brand?
The image was found on the Instagram account for American Riviera Orchard.
The company's Instagram page posted a short video with a vintage look that features Meghan mixing ingredients in her kitchen.
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With the lively rhythms of Nancy Wilson's tune I Wish You Love from the 1960s playing in the background, the Duchess of Sussex makes an appearance from the kitchen of her Californian mansion in a preview introducing her fresh lifestyle brand.
Even though the 16-second video didn't give much information, an Instagram profile for Meghan's brand has already gained hundreds of thousands of followers on the internet.
The American Riviera Orchard's logo showcases a crest that has a shimmering gold hue, along with the term "Montecito." It pertains to the prosperous community where Meghan, Prince Harry, and their family reside, nestled beside Santa Barbara, also known as the "American Riviera."
The American Riviera Orchard Instagram page shared a video made in an old-fashioned style, which shows some hands setting up flowers, Meghan cooking in the kitchen, and a lady wearing a formal gown who is standing at the far end of a very long row of columns.
It's not totally clear what she's selling - however, people on the internet looking into US trademark applications have discovered that American Riviera Orchards has intentions of selling recipe books and household items like carafes and kitchen towels, in addition to food items like preserved fruit and spreadable fruit.
There have been discussions about whether the things shown in the teaser video will be included in Meghan's upcoming collection. It appears that there are nice bowls and a glass decanter on the table behind her in the kitchen.
Lindsey Imler, who works as a digital marketing expert for Intero Digital in Columbia, Missouri, points out that the purposeful addition of mystery in the video is undeniable.
According to her, it's "extremely secretive" and "extremely enticing", which feeds into the idealized image Americans have of foreign royals as if they were part of a magical narrative. This has resulted in a large number of people using Google to find out what she's currently doing.
According to Prof Pauline Maclaran from Royal Holloway, University of London, the Duchess seems to be revisiting her old brand The Tig, which she closed down after getting engaged to Prince Harry.
At its conclusion, Meghan - who gained fame as an ex-Hollywood performer instead of a lifestyle influencer - had amassed more than three million Instagram devotees.
According to Prof Maclaran, the market has shifted to a more domestic goddess style, with an emphasis on promoting elegance, especially now with the new regal connections.
According to her, the video is "bringing up tradition" and "has connections to royalty".
According to her, the portrayal of a female icon as a master of homemaking skills in the kitchen, akin to Martha Stewart and Nigella Lawson, seems to be targeted towards American consumers.
Kerrie Kelly, an interior designer with 30 years of experience in California, thinks that the promotion has a historic or European style to it, while also incorporating a relaxed and carefree California vibe.
Meghan seems to be promoting a sense of contentment at home, embracing her identity as a spouse and parent. Mrs. Kelly believes it's possible that Meghan's brand could include children's attire or items for a baby's room. Additionally, it's likely that her husband will eventually make an appearance in marketing materials since it's what customers typically anticipate from a lifestyle brand.
Despite the briefness of the promotional clip, critics have still taken the opportunity to mock the brand. A number of people have made quips claiming that the name "American Riviera Orchard," which has 10 syllables, sounds more like the moniker of a celebrity couple's child than a brand of produce.
Experts are already discussing similarities between the business of Gwyneth Paltrow's corporation Goop and the merchandise showcased by renowned personalities such as Kim Kardashian or Reese Witherspoon.
According to Elizabeth Holmes, an American writer who published a popular book about the fashion choices of royalty last year, people who closely follow the royal family have been speculating that Meghan Markle may resurrect her defunct lifestyle blog, The Tig, in some capacity as she embarks on new endeavors.
According to Mrs. Holmes, since Meghan came back to the United States, she has been displaying an effortless combination of relaxed Californian style with elegance.
The unveiling happened shortly after Catherine, who is the wife of her brother, had to deal with a situation where her photos had been edited. This made people more interested in what goes on in the royal family's personal lives.
Lindsey Imler, who works as a specialist in digital marketing, finds it intriguing how the media's attention towards the two royal women has been quite contrasting. Lately, both women have been quite reticent about giving away information about their everyday lives.
Meghan has been portrayed as the unfavorable one for a considerable amount of time, while Kate has been seen as the favorable one. However, recently there seems to have been an apparent change in this dynamic.
After the launch, there have been rumors in the public that the lifestyle brand may have violated an agreement with the Royal Family by using their titles, His Royal Highness and Her Royal Highness, to make money.
Up until now, the enterprise hasn't employed the titles. They were directed to maintain the Royal Family's values when they resigned from their royal duties, and the little information that's been disclosed about the fresh brand appears to abide by that instruction.
It's possible that Buckingham Palace might object if it appears that Meghan's merchandise is competing with the items available on their Royal Collection website. However, we can't say for sure if there will be any conflict just yet, as it's still too early to tell.
Daniela Relph also contributed to this blog post.
