Meghan Markle’s podcast & Netflix gig flopped so she’s gone back to her roots to stay relevant, says Royal expert

MEGHAN Markle’s podcast and Netflix gig flopped so she’s gone back to her roots to stay relevant, a royal expert has said.

The Duchess of Sus𝓈ℯ𝓍 unveiled her new brand “American Riviera Orchard” in a glitzy Instagram post last night.

Meghan is launching a new lifestyle brand to stay relevant, Richard Fitzwilliams says

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Harry chatting to young Diana Legacy Awards winners last night

Industry insiders have claimed that the site will focus on home, food, garden and lifestyle goods.

A source told the Mail: “It’s a lifestyle and cooking brand called American Riviera Orchard.

“The brand is meant to coincide with the launch of a new cookery show for Netflix.

“Meghan will be making, and selling, products such as jams. And at some point there will be a book and blog etc.”

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NETFLIX CONTRACT

Royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams said Meghan may have launched the new brand in a bid to keep the couple’s Netflix contract.

Fitzwilliams told The Sun: “Obviously this is another opportunity for them to point out that there’s a link to Netflix with Meghan’s new project

“Now, that’s particularly significant. They’re very nervous about the Netflix contract, which expires next year.

“It’s worth $100million and is absolutely pivotal for them because they lost Spotify.

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“This link to Netflix is very important and clearly, of course, they’ve released this to point out that they, the Sus𝓈ℯ𝓍es, are still going strong as they see it.

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“It’s a very sensitive day, of course, to do that. But I mean you have an extraordinary situation here over the last few days.

“There’s no doubt at all that the Sus𝓈ℯ𝓍 is making use of the material they have to do a bit of oneupmanship. It’s obvious.

“Today, they’re pointing out that they’re still in the running and links with Netflix are strong and Meghan is back on Instagram – that is the message.”

‘PASSION PROJECT’

Before getting engaged to Prince Harry, the Suits actress ran a lifestyle blog named The Tig after her favourite wine Tignanello.

The blog was seen as something as a rival to Gwyneth Paltrow’s £200million Goop, which offers similar wellness and “conscious living” content.

Meghan previously described it as a “passion project” which “evolved into an amazing community of inspiration, support, fun and frivolity”.

Since stepping down as senior royals, the couple have produced a podcast, Netflix documentary and memoir, as well as several high-profile interviews between them.

I’ve never really been the type of person to do only one thing

Meghan Markle

These are said to have netted them millions of dollars before audience interest petered out.

Speaking in the docuseries Harry & Meghan, the mum-of-two said of the blog: “It wasn’t just a hobby, it became a really successful business.

“I’ve never really been the type of person to do only one thing. I guess that’s how my website was born.

“There was fashion, tons of food, and travel – all the things that I loved.”

Rumours emerged in March last year that Meghan was going to relaunch the blog.

Meghan also ventured into the world of children’s books with the launch of The Bench in June 2021.

Inside Meghan’s 34-page book The Bench, the illustrations give a fresh glimpse into the Sus𝓈ℯ𝓍es’ “authentic” life at their LA home – featuring their then-newborn daughter.

The publication was a commercial success with it becoming a number one bestseller on Amazon’s chart.

Meghan dedicated her book to the “man and boy who make my heart go pump-pump” in a sweet note for her husband Prince Harry and son Archie.

Meghan’s career relaunch
MEGHAN Markle and Prince Harry have been busy since stepping back as senior working royals.

Following the early end of her Spotify deal last year, the Duchess of Sus𝓈ℯ𝓍 is relaunching her podcast career with a new streaming network – but could face a £16million loss.

Meghan has signed with the American podcast network Lemonada Media to create new content, and her old 12-episode Archetypes episodes will also be distributed by the firm.

But while her previous Spotify gig was worth around £18million, her new contract could be worth significantly less.

News of the new podcast came hours after the Duke and Duchess of Sus𝓈ℯ𝓍 ditched Archewell.com and replaced it with Sus𝓈ℯ𝓍.com – in a bid to share “personal” updates with fans.

The couple still have their deal with Netflix, where they have created shows like their Harry & Meghan documentary, and the Duke of Sus𝓈ℯ𝓍’s Heart of Invictus show.

And Meghan has enlisted Beverly Hills talent agency William Morris Endeavour ahead of her long-planned relaunch.

Reports of an acting comeback came after the duchess appeared in a playful Instagram ad for a coffee company, a firm she holds shares in.

The cameo appearance sees the former Suits star doing multiple roles at coffee company Clevr Blends, including packing, working on the digital team, and on the operations team.

She unveiled the new lifestyle brand just hours before Prince William paid tribute to Diana in a heartfelt speech last night.

Meghan launched the Instagram account for “American Riviera Orchard” at 5pm yesterday.

Less than two hours later, William took to the stage at the Diana Legacy Awards, paying tribute to his mother in a heartfelt speech.

The Sus𝓈ℯ𝓍es made their second announcement not long after William left the stage, revealing the winner of their $100,000 Digital Civil Rights Award.

Later that night – once William had left the event – Prince Harry quizzed award winners in a “casual” video chat.

DIANA’S LEGACY

The Diana Legacy Awards honour the memory of William and Harry’s motherThe Prince of Wales gave a speech to well-wishers at the awards last night

William attended the event at the Science Museum in London on Thursday night in person, where he gave a speech to mark the charity’s 25th anniversary.

Taking to the stage to AC/DC’s song Thunderstruck, he told the audience that he and his wife, the Princess of Wales, have sought to focus on Diana’s legacy through their work.

Diana died in a car crash in Paris in 1997 when both William and Harry were still young boys.

“This evening’s Legacy Award is particularly special as it marks the 25th anniversary year of The Diana Award, a charity set up to reflect my mother’s belief that young people can change the world,” he said.

They are driven by courage, compassion and commitment – qualities shared by my mother

Prince William

“I know that she would have been honoured to see a charity in her name doing such inspirational work to uplift young people from all corners of the globe.”

He said that his mother taught him that “everyone in need deserves a supporting hand in life”.

“She taught me that everyone has the potential to give something back; that everyone in need deserves a supporting hand in life,” he said.

“That legacy is something that both Catherine and I have sought to focus on through our work, as have the 50,000 young people who have received a Diana Award over the past 25 years.

“I am so proud to see this belief of my mother’s manifested in the amazing young people receiving the Legacy Award tonight.”

William also addressed his walk-on song choice saying “I like AC/DC, that’s George’s song.”

She taught me that everyone has the potential to give something back; that everyone in need deserves a supporting hand in life

Prince William

After the prince left, Chiara Riyanti Hutapea Zhang, 18, who won an award for her charity Cases 4 Care’s work with undocumented children, said that meeting him was “like a dream come true”.

“He was really nice and welcoming,” she said.

She said that winning the award was “a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” but it also felt like “the beginning of something new”.

Joel Nkeonye Mordi, 26, who won an award for founding an LGBT+ youth charity in Nigeria, said that it was “such a huge honour”.

He added: “It’s a call to action.”