Meghan Markle is set to lift off with her new brand American Riviera Orchard now that the Suits star has moved past recent royal drama.
Showbiz and royal expert Mark Boardman exclusively tells The Royal Observer: "Meghan has always been focused on her own projects and ventures, such as the launch of American Riviera Orchard," even during her long-running royal feud with the monarchy.
The brand launched in mid-March, right after and shortly before King Charles III and Kate Middleton's cancer diagnosis announcements, respectively.
Boardman adds: "While it’s possible she might feel that the timing of the illnesses overshadowed her initiative, and even feel frustrated or even angry that the royal family's attention was diverted away from their charitable efforts it’s more likely that she understands the unpredictable nature of public life and media coverage."
Many analysts and insiders criticized the ex-actress for dropping the product line during the royal cancer fright, but Boardman takes a more nuanced approach to the decision.
"High-profile illnesses in the royal family naturally attract significant attention, and Meghan, having been part of the institution, would likely recognize that this is part of the larger landscape she navigates," the founder of MarkMeets.com observes. "Her focus is probably more on how to continue promoting her ventures effectively, rather than dwelling on factors beyond her control."
This insight follows reports from early April that cast a different perspective on the precarious launch. "As Meghan is no longer part of the monarchy, she is free to launch her brand whenever she likes," PR expert Lynn Carratt then dished. "However, given Kate's ongoing cancer treatments, it would be wise for Meghan to be sensitive to the timing of her brand launch, considering the public support for Kate worldwide."
A poll conducted by The Evening Standard in Britain in March found that Meghan scored just 7 percent in a ranking of the royals, which was right under Harry with 11 percent. Despite this, the former actress' new brand amassed over 500,000 Instagram followers in under a week then and is said to eventually tie in with a Netflix cooking show. Although unpopular in the country, one palace insider dished that the culinary show's numbers "could take off in Britain."
Boardman concludes by stating: "The launch of American Riviera Orchard was a significant moment for the couple, and it would have been a significant platform for them to promote their work. However, with the royal family's attention focused on the King's and Kate's health issues, it's likely that the momentum around their launch was indeed disrupted."
So far, only 50 jars of American Riviera Orchard strawberry jam have been sent to the ex-HRH's exclusive friends.
