Meghan Markle’s tenure as an active royal was brief. Her stint in the royal family turned distressing, and her explosive revelations during her and Prince Harry’s well-known interview with Oprah Winfrey had a global impact.
Since moving to the US, Meghan and Harry have embarked on a new chapter. Recently, their three-day trip to Nigeria caused discontent among King Charles, Prince William, and Kate Middleton.
Although their post-royal business endeavors have mostly struggled, Harry and Meghan are still actively pursuing new projects.
Meghan recently introduced her lifestyle brand, launching with a limited edition of jams.
The initial reception was less favorable than expected, leaving Meghan tearful after hearing the critical feedback, according to a royal expert.
When Harry and Meghan stepped back from royal duties in early 2020, many speculated about their next steps. Initially settling in Canada, they soon moved to the upscale area of Montecito, California.
By September 2020, the couple had already begun to carve out a new path in business, securing a $100 million deal with Netflix for a five-year production agreement. Additionally, they signed a four-book deal, including a staggering $20 million advance for Harry’s memoir, “Spare,” potentially bringing the total earnings over $120 million with global royalties. They also landed a $20 million contract with Spotify, which, according to a Newsweek industry expert, could have been valued at up to $35 million at the time of signing.
Harry and his brother William inherited about $14 million from their mother, Princess Diana. Meghan Markle’s own net worth is reportedly around $60 million.
Now living in a luxurious $14 million mansion in Montecito, Harry and Meghan seem to have embraced a glamorous lifestyle that many envy. They seem to have found stability after a turbulent few years.
Their Netflix series, which debuted in December 2022, was a significant hit, and Harry’s “Spare” quickly sold millions of copies. Meanwhile, Meghan launched a successful podcast on Spotify, featuring influential guests like Mindy Kaling, Mariah Carey, Trevor Noah, Serena Williams, and Paris Hilton. The podcast topped the charts for several weeks.
Despite its initial success, Meghan and Spotify later chose not to continue their collaboration.
Canceled Spotify deal
In June of the previous year, Harry and Meghan’s media company, Archewell Audio, along with Spotify, mutually decided to terminate their multi-million dollar partnership.
Their $20 million deal resulted in the production of just one podcast series, Meghan’s “Archetypes,” since their agreement in 2020.
The official announcement stated, “Spotify and Archewell Audio have mutually agreed to part ways and are proud of the series that we made together.”
Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams labeled the conclusion of the Spotify contract as a “shocking failure.” He remarked, “The expectation was for multiple series to be produced. Given that only one materialized, it’s clear this contract fell short of expectations. Evidently, the partnership wasn’t beneficial to both sides.”
Fitzwilliams also noted, “The termination of the Spotify deal is a significant setback. It remains to be seen how this will impact them,” and added, “This development scrutinizes the other major deals they have with Netflix and Random House, where they have yet to produce substantial content.”
Details of what led to the mutual decision to end the Spotify collaboration were initially unclear. However, Bill Simmons, Spotify’s head of podcast innovation and monetization, later expressed his dissatisfaction with the couple’s performance under their contract.
On his own podcast, Simmons criticized them sharply, labeling Harry and Meghan as “grifters.”
He stated, “I wish I had been involved in the ‘Meghan and Harry leave Spotify’ negotiations. ‘The Fucking Grifters’ would have been a more apt title for their podcast,” and added, “One of these days, I’ll have to get drunk and share the story of my Zoom call with Harry when I tried to assist him with a podcast idea. It’s one of my best stories… They really are grifters.”
Despite the Spotify deal not unfolding as expected, Meghan and her husband still have reasons to be optimistic financially. Since relocating to the U.S., the former “Suits” actress’s popularity has been on the rise. Initially, reports suggested that the Sussexes were eager to quickly integrate into the Hollywood scene, but they faced challenges as some celebrities were hesitant to associate with them.
As a member of the royal family, Meghan Markle achieved global recognition. After stepping back from royal duties, it seems she aimed to elevate her fame to new heights and achieve a different kind of celebrity status.
Royal commentator Jane Barr suggested that Meghan aspired to a level of fame beyond that of her royal relatives. “Meghan would not have been content with the relatively low-profile or truly independent lives led by William and Harry’s cousins,” Barr stated in her “From Berkshire to Buckingham” newsletter, according to the NY Post.
Barr elaborated, “Meghan aimed to leverage her HRH title to become a superstar on the international stage, completely independent of the crown’s influence.”
Meghan Markle – lifestyle brand American Riviera Orchard
Despite experiencing a mix of successes and setbacks with their business ventures, Meghan Markle is now focusing on realizing her vision for a high-end brand.
In March of this year, the Duchess unveiled her latest endeavor, a lifestyle brand named American Riviera Orchard. The launch video, filmed at her Montecito home, showcased Meghan moving through their elegant residence and highlighting her culinary skills.
The brand’s debut product, a lemon-themed gift basket featuring fresh fruit jam, was distributed to 50 of Meghan’s friends, many of whom are celebrities.
PR expert Mayah Riaz commented on the potential financial success of this venture, suggesting that Meghan could see earnings in the seven-figure range within its first year. “The jams have only been sent to 50 people, indicating they might be part of an exclusive, limited edition range,” Riaz explained to the Mirror.
She further noted, “Reports suggest a single jar of jam could be priced in the hundreds of dollars, which is typical for celebrity-driven brands.”
Riaz added, “Based on what we’ve seen, it’s entirely feasible for American Riviera Orchard to generate seven figures in less than a year, and possibly reach into the multi-seven figures by the end of the following year.”
The American Riviera Orchard brand plans to offer a variety of products, including oils, home fragrances, kitchen tools, and homeware. Following the announcement, the brand quickly gained significant attention, amassing hundreds of thousands of Instagram followers within the first day.
Meghan Markle was ‘left in tears’ over ‘unfair criticism’ of her brand
Since the announcement of Meghan Markle’s lifestyle brand, there has been little activity, and she has not disclosed when the brand will officially launch.
Interest appears to be waning, and now, royal commentator Tom Quinn has shared some disheartening insights about Meghan’s venture.
In a discussion with the Mirror, Quinn expressed that the Duchess was deeply affected by the public’s reaction to her lifestyle brand. The launch was particularly challenging for Meghan, who faced significant criticism over the perceived extravagance and unremarkable quality of her new jam product.
“The launch of America Riviera Orchard was a tough moment for Meghan. She was visibly upset when her new jam received a barrage of critiques for its high price and lack of distinctiveness. It seems she now feels that no matter what she does, she will face undue criticism,” Quinn explained.
According to Quinn, Prince Harry is of the opinion that the criticism is unjust and believes Meghan is being unfairly targeted. Furthermore, Quinn noted that Meghan was unprepared for the backlash that followed her venture into the lifestyle brand sector.
“Meghan is particularly sensitive to any criticism of her upscale lifestyle in the US, which, from her perspective, should be viewed as aspirational rather than a point of criticism,” Quinn added.
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