Meghan Markle was said to be “in tears” amid the “unfair criticism” she faced over her new lifestyle brand, American Riviera Orchard. The Duchess of Sussex made waves in March when she announced her latest venture, giving only a tantalizing glimpse into what the brand would offer.
In a beautifully filmed teaser from her and Prince Harry’s Montecito estate, Meghan was seen whipping up something delicious in the kitchen and strolling through their stunning grounds.
It wasn’t long before details trickled out, revealing that the new range would include not just kitchenware and home goods but also her own collection of oils, nut butters, jams, preserves, and even chic home scents and décor.
Royal commentator and writer Tom Quinn claimed that the tepid response to her brand, particularly the critiques of her new jam, could have hit Meghan hard, reports the Mirror. “The one fly in the ointment is Meghan’s new internet brand, American Riviera Orchard,” he claimed.
“Meghan was in tears when the brand launched and her new jam was widely mocked for being expensive and nothing special.”
When Meghan’s long-time BFF Abigail Spencer showed her enthusiastic support for the Duchess’ new jam on her Instagram page, it was met with a very mixed bag of comments from followers. After sharing a post featuring Abigail and her pet pooch, the fellow actress gushed about the new jam, saying: “A delicious taste of what’s to come indeed… love you so M.”
While some of Abigail’s followers – including The Office star Mindy Kaling – loved the post, others were less complimentary. One wrote: “This is so cringe. And not even good staging,” while another said: “These photos are embarrassing and weird. Who rolls around on their lawn with a basket of lemons?”
