Santa Barbara, California – The Duchess of Sussex has announced the launch of her new lifestyle brand, American Riviera Orchard, through a surprise post on Instagram. Meghan Markle unveiled the brand with a video on the brand’s Instagram Story, showcasing her picking flowers and cooking in a kitchen. The bio on the Instagram page identifies the brand as “by Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex” and states that it was established in 2024.
In addition to the social media launch, the website for American Riviera Orchard features the brand’s script-like logo with “Montecito” – the neighborhood where Meghan and Prince Harry now reside. Reports suggest that the brand will focus on home, garden, food, and general lifestyle content, with products such as cookbooks, foods, and kitchenware.
This venture into the lifestyle space is not Meghan’s first; she previously ran The Tig, a lifestyle blog she created in 2014 before shutting it down in 2017. Describing The Tig as a digital “conversation between girlfriends,” Meghan used it as a platform to share fashion, beauty content, and inspiring pieces for young women. Last year, there were speculations of a rebrand after Meghan applied to trademark The Tig.
The launch of American Riviera Orchard also marks Meghan’s return to social media after deactivating her account upon joining the royal family. Despite her return, Meghan has been vocal about the toxicity of social media, expressing her concerns during a keynote panel at the South by South West festival on International Women’s Day.
Recently, Meghan and Harry quietly relaunched their website, Sussex.com, which features personal updates about their activities. The launch of American Riviera Orchard comes amidst controversy within the royal family, following the Princess of Wales editing a family photograph shared on Mother’s Day in the UK.
Representatives for Meghan Markle have been contacted for comment on the recent announcement of her lifestyle brand.