The Duchess of Sussex launched a new lifestyle brand that will see her selling jams and kitchenware just minutes before Prince William’s emotional speech an awards ceremony in honour of his mother.
William was expected to make a rare joint appearance with his brother Prince Harry for the Diana Legacy Awards at the Science Museum in London – although neither of them was to be in the room at the same time, even virtually.
William attended the event in person last night while Harry was scheduled to appear on videolink from Montecito. William left the venue at around 8.15pm but late into the night UK time there was still no sign that Harry’s address had taken place.
Earlier in the night the Sussexes had raised eyebrows by using the night of the Diana Awards to make two personal announcements.
First, Meghan unveiled her new American Riviera Orchard lifestyle brand moments before William arrived at the Awards.
Then while he was still at the event, the Montecito-based couple announced the winner of their $100,000 NAACP – Archewell Foundation Digital Civil Rights Award.
Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliam told : ‘The Sussexes in my opinion do nothing by accident and timing is often absolutely pivotal.
‘We found that out one way over the weekend and we’ve now just been reminded that there may be more shots in their locker than some of us thought. And it’s no accident.
‘For years they’ve been unpredictable but they have been predictable in one sense, and that is the unerring timing when they believe it’s beneficial to get information out. They don’t do anything by accident.’
It follows a trying week for the Royals – after Princess Kate was forced to admit to editing a photo of her and her children that she released on Mother’s Day after the world’s top picture and news agencies – including PA – ‘killed’ the image over claims it had been digitally manipulated.
Prince William has paid a moving tribute to his late mother to mark the Diana Legacy Award’s 25th anniversary and as he presents awards to 20 recipients tonight. The Prince of Wales will appear at the awards event alone as his wife Kate is still recovering from abdominal surgery.
Prince William, Prince of Wales attends the The Diana Legacy Awards at the Science Museum
Prince William, Prince of Wales speaks to Tom Walker, Ken Spellman and Dr Tessy Oho CBE as he attends The Diana Legacy Awards tonight
It then fades to reveal Meghan cooking in a stunning kitchen, with copper pans hanging over her head as she whisks
Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry attend the Diana Award’s at St James’ Palace on May 18, 2017
A royal expert has claimed that Princess Diana (pictured in 1983) would have insisted the brothers set their feud aside to present the award in her name
Harry, who lives in California, will then join a video call with the winners, according to reports. However, his involvement will only take place after his brother has left the ceremony.
The brothers’ reluctance to acknowledge each other’s presence at the event lays bare the depth of their feud as before their falling out they often appeared together in person to pose with the award winners.
It follows claims by a royal expert that Princess Diana would have insisted the brothers set their feud aside to present the award in her name.
Ingrid Seward, the royal biographer and editor-in-chief of Majesty Magazine says that the pair’s mother – who the evening is in tribute to – would have forced the warring brothers to reunite to celebrate the prize’s winners.
‘And if she failed, I think she would have insisted that they came together however briefly by speaking over the video link in order to celebrate the winners of the prize organised in her name,’ she told the Mirror.
In a busy day for Harry and Meghan the pair also releasing a video to congratulate Dr. Joy Buolamwini, the winner of this year’s NAACP – Archewell Foundation Digital Civil Rights Award in the immediate aftermath of William’s speech.
The computer scientist and activist was seen being surprise by the couple – as Meghan gushed that she was ‘an expert and inspiration’, with Harry adding that she is one of the world’s most ‘inspiring, passionate and impactful figures in AI’.
Meghan’s new venture is said to have been in the works for some time, with rumours of a commercial venture ‘genuine to who she is’ coming out last year.
Meghan’s plush luxury lifestyle brand American Riviera Orchard was revealed just minutes before William’s speech in a glitzy Instagram video.
The plush video comes alongside a series of nine cryptic Instagram posts, making up the logo of the brand alongside the name: ‘American Riviera Orchard Montecito’
Meghan’s new project is said to have been in the works for more than a year – and feature ‘all the things that are close to her heart’
The brand is set to work as an extension of her former lifestyle blog The Tig, an insider told Page Six Style
In a busy day for Harry and Meghan the pair also releasing a video to congratulate Dr. Joy Buolamwini, the winner of this year’s NAACP – Archewell Foundation Digital Civil Rights Award in the immediate aftermath of William’s speech
The computer scientist and activist was seen being surprise by the famous couple
Meghan gushed that she was ‘an expert and inspiration’, with Harry adding that she is one of the world’s most ‘inspiring, passionate and impactful figures in AI’
The Duchess of Sussex’s new project is said to have been in the works for more than a year – and will feature ‘all the things that are close to her heart’.
The flash company is set to coincide with the launch of a new cookery show featuring Meghan on Netflix – where she will be making and selling her own products. It will lead onto a book and blog to go alongside her cookery displays.
It is ununderstood that a trademark application has been made covering cutlery – knives forks spoons – cookbooks and electronic cookbooks, coffee, jams jellies and butters.
It also extends to a physical shop from which tableware, mugs, jams, tablecloths and recipe books could be sold.
In the new video, Meghan is seen whisking in a stunning rustic kitchen, while a woman’s hands arrange pink and white flowers.
An insider told the Daily 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.’
The brand will focus on home, garden, food and general lifestyle wares.
The video starts with a washed-out video of a woman arranging white and pink pastel flowers
The video continues with an image of a woman in a long dress, backlit through an Italian-style corridor leading outside.
Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, attends the ‘Keynote: Breaking Barriers, Shaping Narratives: How Women Lead On and Off the Screen,’ during the SXSW 2024 Conference
The plush video comes alongside a series of nine cryptic Instagram posts, making up the logo of the brand alongside the name: ‘American Riviera Orchard Montecito’.
Comments have been disabled on the Instagram posts and the page links to a new website of the same name where people can enter their email address and ‘join the waitlist’.
Insiders claimed future projects for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will ‘reflect their differing professional interests and talents and are the result of significant thought about their future direction and careers’.
A source claimed: ‘They are both working on their own things. They are fully supportive of each other’s concepts and ideas, but they are different from one another, they have different meanings.’
The new show comes as Harry and Meghan are said to be working on ‘a bunch’ of new Netflix projects including a film and two other ‘unscripted’ projects.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex signed a five-year agreement with the California-based streaming giant in 2020 worth an estimated $100million (£80million).
But there has been uncertainty over whether the deal will be renewed next year, especially after their £15million Spotify contract ended early in June last year.
Now, Netflix’s chief content officer Bela Bajaria has revealed that Harry and Meghan ‘actually have a bunch in development’ under their Archewell Productions arm.
The Duchess of Sussex launched her ‘passion project’, a website called The Tig, back in 2014, naming it after her favourite Tignanello red wine
To her devoted fans, Meghan opened up about her struggles of not fitting in during her time at High School, filling her lunch times with endless extra-curriculum activities just so she did not have to ‘eat lunch alone’
According to The Times, Ms Bajaria told a Netflix promotional event in Hollywood that the Sussexes were working on ‘a couple of unscripted things’ – thought to be documentaries – plus a film and a series which are all in ‘very early development’.
Mr Fitzwilliams added: ‘We’ve only seen the video. We will judge the book, the blog and the cookery show when we see her cooking in the kitchen. To what extent she will become some form of master chef – now that is an totally different matter.
‘Nonetheless so far as they are concerned if this means they stay with Netflix – and this is actual proof of something they are doing for Netflix – for them it is absolutely pivotal.
‘If they lost Netflix they would be cast adrift and I’m not sure on either side of the Atlantic that that many people would want to rescue them.’
William gave today’s speech in person to mark the charity’s 25th anniversary and present awards to 20 recipients. The Prince of Wales appeared at the awards event alone as his wife Kate is still recovering from abdominal surgery.
Prince William told the winners tonight that they are ‘driven by courage, compassion and commitment – qualities shared by my mother’.
‘She taught me that everyone has the potential to give something back, that everyone in need deserves a supporting hand in life.’
He told the audience that he and his wife, the Princess of Wales, have sought to focus on Diana’s legacy through their work.
Prince William, Prince of Wales speaks to Tom Walker, Ken Spellman and Dr Tessy Oho CBE
Prince William, Prince of Wales meets Baroness Doreen Lawrence as he attends tonight
‘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.
‘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.
‘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.’
His wife Kate Middleton is not in attendance tonight as she continues to recover from surgery in January.
He added: ‘I am so proud to see this belief of my mother’s manifested in the amazing young people receiving the Legacy Award tonight.’
Meghan’s new company is set to work as an extension of her former lifestyle blog The Tig, an insider added to Page Six Style.
A source told the American site: ‘She’s been working on this for over a year and it’s all the things that are close to her heart — all the things she’s passionate about.’
The video starts with a washed-out video of a woman arranging white and pink pastel flowers.
It then fades to reveal Meghan cooking in a stunning kitchen, with copper pans hanging over her head as she whisks.
The announcement comes on the same night as Prince Harry and Prince William are set to make a rare joint appearance at the Diana Legacy Award event at the Science Museum in London
Prince Harry is set to appear by video call at a memorial event for Princess Diana in London today
It continues with an image of a woman in a long dress, backlit through an Italian-style corridor leading outside.
The glamorous scenes are set against the strains of Nancy Wilson’s 1960 tune I Wish You Love.
The Tig was described as her ‘passion project after she launched it back in 2014, naming it after her favourite Tignanello red wine.
While up and running, the blog was filled with insights into the former actress’s life, including her relationship with her now estranged father and best friend Jessica Mulroney.
To her devoted fans, Meghan opened up about her struggles of not fitting in during her time at High School, filling her lunch times with endless extra-curriculum activities just so she did not have to ‘eat lunch alone’.
She closed down The Tig after meeting Prince Harry.
It comes as the Sussex’s launch a major rebrand – relaunching their website, Sussex.com, earlier this year.
The minimalist website has links to the Archewell Foundation and Archewell Productions, as well as the controversial sussexroyal.com website launched in 2020 to coincide with their decision to step back as working royals.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle at a premiere for the One Love film in Jamaica on January 23
The couple’s six-part bombshell documentary ‘Harry and Meghan’ (pictured) was their first Netflix release in December 2022, which included a series of swipes at the Royal Family
It is thought the Duke and Duchess will use the site to share their personal and official updates, keeping people informed through the ‘News’ section.
Their ‘About’ page reads: ‘The Office of Prince Harry and Meghan, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex is shaping the future through business and philanthropy.
‘This includes: The Archewell Foundation, Archewell Productions, patronages, ventures, and organizations which receive the support of the couple, individually and/or together.’
There is also a page dedicated to Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex and Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, detailing their backgrounds and achievements.
Prince Harry’s biography references his 10-years served in the British Armed Forces and as a New York Times bestselling author of Spare, ‘a memoir of his life told with compassion, vulnerability and unflinching honesty’.
Meghan’s biography refers to her advocacy work, her career in the entertainment industry as a lead role in the TV series ‘Suits’ and as a NY Times bestselling author of children’s book ‘The Bench’ and ‘Together: Our Community Kitchen’.
Their biographies include the line: ‘They are committed to their mission: Show Up, Do Good. They hold the value that charitable work should not simply be ‘a handout, but rather a hand held’.
The Archewell Foundation was set up by the Duke and Duchess to ‘build meaningful initiatives’ and ‘drive long-term change’.
Kate posted the apology on the Prince and Princess of Wales’ Instagram account yesterday
Archewell Productions was founded in 2020 and is ‘dedicated to illuminating thought-provoking and diverse narratives that underscore our common humanity and celebrate community.’
The news comes after a difficult week for the Royal family.
Yesterday, Harry and Meghan broke their silence on the Princess of Wales’ photo editing furore to deny that sources inside their camp made comments about how the Duchess of Sussex would have handled a similar situation.
Amid increasing speculation surrounding the Mother’s Day image of Kate and her children, which was released to the world by Kensington Palace on Sunday, a spokesperson for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s Archewell Foundation spoke out to deny that any official representative for the couple had made comments about the controversy to Page Six.
Speaking to Newsweek, the spokesperson addressed quotes published by the outlet, which stated that a source ‘close to Prince William, Harry and his wife’, had not come ‘from us’.
The source stated to Page Six that the editing error ‘isn’t a mistake that Meghan would ever make’, noting that ‘she has a keen eye and freakish attention to detail’.
However, Archewell’s official spokesperson has now insisted to Newsweek that the information ‘did not come from us’, stating simply: ‘With respect to Page Six, that did not come from us.’
In addition to the claims made about Meghan ‘never making the [same] mistake’, Page Six also published quotes from an insider who stated that the Sussexes ‘would have been annihilated’ had they released a similarly-edited image.
‘If Harry and Meghan had ever encountered the same issue they would have been annihilated,’ the source quotes read.
‘The same rules do not apply to both couples.
‘This isn’t a mistake that Meghan would ever make … she has a keen eye and freakish attention to detail.’
The outlet did not state that the quotes had come from inside Archewell however – and Newsweek noted that the comments could have been made by an acquaintance of the Sussexes who is not officially connected to the Foundation.