A new 16-second video posted on Instagram to launch Meghan Markle’s new brand American Riviera Orchard has been picked apart by her fans online in an effort to establish exactly what she is up to.
Since leaving the Royal Family behind over four years ago, the Sussexes have tried to set themselves up as independent from the Firm, however they have faced criticism for using the royals for publicity in their Netflix documentary series.
But now Meghan appears to be harking back to her pre-royal life, as for three years she had her own successful lifestyle blog The Tig which she closed in 2017.
The teaser video for American Riviera Orchard films Meghan in a retro style in a kitchen, stirring a pot, arranging flowers, and also shows a woman in a ballgown standing at the end of a colonnade.
The branding features the word Montecito – the name of the town in California where she and Prince Harry live with their two children – which is referred to as the ‘American Riviera’.
According to Meghan fans on the internet who have been looking up pending US trademark applications, American Riviera Orchard plans to sell cookbooks and food items such as marmalades and jams, as well as kitchenware including decanters and linens.
Some believe that the props in the video may provide a clue, as bowls and a glass decanter can be seen in the mysterious Instagram launch video.
Lindsey Imler, a digital marketing specialist for Intero Digital, told the BBC that Meghan’s sense of mystery in the video is very deliberate, as it is “discreet” and “alluring”.
Professor Pauline Maclaran, a marketing and consumer research professor at Royal Holloway, University of London, agreed that Meghan seems to be tapping back into her old blog The Tig.
She said: “I would see this as a much more domestic goddess kind of market, with these new regal connections now, and, you know, promoting elegance.”
She added that the video is “evoking heritage” by “linking to the royal aspect”, however the Duchess has faced criticism in the past for highlighting her royal connections in a business capacity, such as on the Sussex Royal website.
Meghan has rejoined Instagram with the launch of her new brand, despite previously speaking out about the “dangers of social media” and her desire to stay away.
The Duchess said at the SXSW festival last week: “I keep my distance from (social media) right now just for my own wellbeing. The bulk of the bullying and abuse that I was experiencing in social media and online was when I was pregnant with Archie and with Lili, and with a newborn. It’s not catty. It’s cruel.”
Renae Smith, founder of The Atticism, told Express.co.uk: “Meghan’s re-engagement with social media, despite her avowed intent to keep her distance, presents a paradox that many in public relations grapple with balancing personal principles against professional imperatives.
“The indispensable role of social media in brand building and audience engagement today cannot be understated, even for figures who have experienced its darker sides.”
