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What began as an ambitious venture has now turned into a monumental failure. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex had reportedly invested thousands, if not millions, into building their lifestyle empire through the American Riviera Orchard brand. However, they have now suffered a devastating blow as their plans have spectacularly unravelled.
Meghan Markle soft launched the American Riviera Orchard brand in March 2022 with plans for a range of products from edible treats to homeware and stationery. However, the brand faced significant hurdles from the very beginning that ultimately led to its downfall. One of the first issues was a trademark dispute with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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The USPTO denied Meghan’s application to trademark the American Riviera Orchard name, citing concerns that it was too geographically descriptive of the Santa Barbara, California region where Meghan and Harry reside. This forced Meghan’s team to reconsider the name and branding, similar to how Kim Kardashian rebranded her shapewear line from Kimono to Skims.
However, the troubles for the brand did not end there. As the wait dragged on for a proper launch, public expectations and scrutiny only intensified. Newsweek’s royal correspondent Jack Royston warned that the long delay in launching could inflate expectations to unrealistic levels and put immense pressure on Meghan to deliver a product worthy of the hype. PR experts advised that it was better for Meghan to take the time to get the brand right rather than rushing a subpar launch, but the prolonged wait heightened anticipation nonetheless.
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When the brand’s logo was then deemed inconsistent by the USPTO due to issues with the description of the letter ‘O’, it compounded the trademark problems. Yet Meghan and her team persevered, even sending out 50 jars of homemade jam to celebrity friends like Chrissy Teigen and Kris Jenner in an attempt to generate early buzz on social media. While this gained some attention online, it failed to translate into tangible success for the fledgling brand.
The pressure continued to mount as months passed without a proper launch. As Newsweek’s royal correspondent predicted, the high expectations inflated by the lengthy delays became difficult to meet. When the first offerings finally did emerge, like limited edition merchandise released on Meghan’s 40th birthday, sales did not meet the lofty bar that had been set. It seemed the American Riviera Orchard brand was struggling to gain commercial traction and meet the demands of an increasingly impatient public.
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In a final blow, it was recently reported that the entertainment behemoth WME, who had been advising Meghan on ventures, has now pulled its support for the American Riviera Orchard brand altogether. WME’s decision to withdraw indicates the struggles have become insurmountable and time has run out on finding success. Their high-powered guidance appeared unable to remedy the missteps that had plagued the branding and launch process from the very beginning.
The downfall of Meghan’s lifestyle brand serves as a clear warning for celebrities looking to transition into the business world. Every detail, from concept to execution, must be meticulously planned and managed. Public expectations can rapidly intensify the longer a brand is ‘forthcoming’ without properly delivering. Trademark issues can spiral and undermine a brand’s identity before it even launches. As Meghan Markle has painfully learned, the difficult path is littered with potential pitfalls that sabotage even the most coveted of celebrity-backed ventures.
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While the Duke and Duchess had envisioned building an empire through a lifestyle brand fronted by Meghan’s American Riviera Orchard concept, multiple missteps and an overinflated hype train proved insurmountable barriers. Their ambitions have been dramatically derailed by a series of setbacks that rendered the brand commercially nonviable. For now, their foray into the business world has ended in a very public and monumental failure. Whether Meghan and Harry attempt to relaunch with a new concept remains to be seen, but this cautionary tale demonstrates that success is far from guaranteed, even for the world’s most famous names.
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