The Duke and Duchess of Sussex and Family, News and Events 9: August 2023 - July 2024

[ACO]

The royals are out every day. The day of the Diana Awards we saw MANY of them out and about. Why is it only Meghan that has folk tripping? If Meghan paused her life to wait for a day the BRF were not visibly then she wouldn’t do anything.

She lives in another country. This isn’t about her. It’s about people just being upset she living her life and that’s not a her issue.

 

[Emmily]

The royals are out every day. The day of the Diana Awards we saw MANY of them out and about. Why is it only Meghan that has folk tripping? If Meghan paused her life to wait for a day the BRF were not visibly then she wouldn’t do anything.

She lives in another country. This isn’t about her. It’s about people just being upset she living her life and that’s not a her issue.

The royals that were out that day weren't using their titles to cash in by dropping a commercial enterprise minutes before the Diana Awards. By all means, Meghan, live your life. But do it in a way that doesn't show your hypocrisy by saying that you want nothing to do with the royal life but then using the royal title to make money.

 

[ACO]

So in other words it really doesn’t matter when she launches. Folk will find a reason to gripe regardless. So carry on Meghan.

 

[tommy100]

^With all due respect Tommy100 she is launching a new business venture so she doesnt have to wait for the royal family to go on summer holidays or there be a lull in their schedules to do this. This has been in the works for awhile. I don't believe she overshadowed anything. If she were hosting an award ceremony on the same day maybe,but 1 thing has nothing to do with the other.

Please don't put words in my mouth, I didn't say she had to at all. I simply said I would think a decent pr person would advise against announcing at the same time as big royal news stories so they aren't competing and getting less coverage than if they announced at a time, like the summer, when the royals are on holiday and so there is less filling the newspapers and media. Likewise (And tbh this was more my initial thinking) she could have consulted her own husbands diary and seen he had an event then so again, better to avoid and both get maximum coverage out of the media cycle. Why do you think political parties, pop stars, supermarkets and the like all try to avoid announcing major policies, promotions, new albums etc on the same day? Because they all want to have the maximum amount of media coverage, not to compete with another. I'm not saying anything about the RF or the Sussex's relationship to them or that Meghan should have to wait, but from getting the most amount of coverage waiting for a lull is a good idea. Of course with the likes of Anne working 180/190 days a year finding a day someone in the RF isn't doing something is tricky but they know the big dates - and they knew this one because Harry took part in it. TBH it strikes me as odd we often hear nothing from them then something fro both of them, again why not wait and let each other have the news cycle.
She can announce whenever the heck she likes and has done. But given how little info has come out from the "launch", I don't believe it had to be announced then, so it was a choice, which is fine.

 

[Erin9]

So in other words it really doesn’t matter when she launches. Folk will find a reason to gripe regardless. So carry on Meghan.

She could have launched the day before or the day after the awards and she wouldn’t be getting this level of complaints. She CHOSE a big day on the royal calendar. And she absolutely knew it.

As another poster noted- there wasn’t even much to this launch at all. She had no real “need” to do anything. She just chose to, and she chose to pick a big day on the royal calendar. It is what it is.

She’d still get complaints about using her title to sell pillows, jam, or whatever, particularly after bashing the RF. But Meghan did that to herself. Meghan Markle just doesn’t have the cache as The Duchess of Sussex.

I get why she’s doing it. It sets her apart. It makes her look special (and hypocritical!). And unlike the other celebs doing this (and anything else she’s tried to do over the last 4 years) she doesn’t have a super star resume. She has a marriage to someone born globally famous and a title.

But- indeed- carry on, Meghan…..You do you.

 

[Toledo]

10:42 AM here in Upstate NY, USA.
I'm catching up with the news and updates today.

Re her many attempts to market her image to successfully launch a source of steady income, I mean that Montecito mortgage is not going to pay itself if the money dries up, I give her the best of wishes. Problem is she has become a repeat offender in the art of not listening to advice or learning from failed experiences.

She needs a better PR team that can get through her, as in telling her there's reality and there's your idea of that reality. She needs to reorganize priorities and see what she can do with the Meghan Markle as a stand-alone brand without the need to drag in the 'duchess' into the mix. That's the trigger for the bad press, to rely on a title given to her spouse to share with her as long as was not used for marketing products.

That's how I see a solution for her, market yourself and not your husband's title and I bet the opinion will turn around to a more positive outlook in 2024. Will she ever listen? I doubt it.

Re Harry's legal stay in the USA, that's a major problem that can escalate fast. In the USA we had one of those reality shows with the 'Housewives' and couple or more years ago the spouse of one of the reality show divas ended up first in prison (taxes) and them extradited to Italy. You don't mess with immigration here or in any country.

 

[HenRach Dominion]

If HRH The Duchess of Sussex wanted to print her title on diapers, she can. It's her title, she can do whatever she wants with it. People can whinge about hypocrisy all they want...it doesn't change things. Even if, God forbid, she and HRH The Duke of Sussex get divorced, she still would be entitled to "Duchess of Sussex" and could do anything she wants with it. No amount of complaining is going to change that.

If HRH The Duchess of Sussex wanted launch her new line on the same day as The Diana Awards...so what? Apparently her husband, who was also Diana, Princess of Wales's son, also lost her tragically, who also holds The Diana Award in high regard, didn't have a problem with her launching the line on the same day, so why should she care about the feelings or opinions of people who never liked her?

Besides, The Diana Award isn't even a royal event. So now HRH The Duchess of Sussex has to schedule her life around royal-adjacent events along with royal events?

 

[Erin9]

You have to admire the sheer determination. One thing doesn't work - let's do another. For that at least. Lots of people would have given up and cried.

She can afford to keep trying something new. That’s one thing she has.

And- honestly- I think she wants to be seen as globally successful at something other than marrying well and bashing the in laws.

She has long been interested in women’s issues and has rubbed shoulders with a lot of HIGHLY successful, highly talented women. Meghan is at these events because she married well- not for what she accomplished. I think she wants to accomplish something on a big scale. What she’s said and done speaks to that.

Meghan- IOW- is very ambitious imo. She doesn’t just aspire to an extravagant lifestyle and lots of money. Whether she has the talent to back up the size of her ambition is another question. But I don’t doubt she is ambitious. So- that is my long winded way of saying I’m not surprised she keeps trying new things.

 

[Durham]

If HRH The Duchess of Sussex wanted to print her title on diapers, she can.

Sounds like a pretty appropriate place for it actually.

 

[caethi]

Oh, of all the things that have happened to the BRF this week, I'm sure it's not HRH The Duchess of Sussex's line announcement that has overshadowed HRH The Prince of Wales at the Diana awards.

Not HRH.

 

[Sunnystar]

Here is my question... Why launch her new brand on the same day as the Diana thing when you aren't even ready to sell anything? There was no need to launch on that specific day except to grab some media attention. She could have waited a day or two or even launched next week and it would have at least avoided the obvious criticism. But, as others have said, she just can't help herself when it comes to these publicity stunts.

 

[Royalist.in.NC]

10:42 AM here in Upstate NY, USA.
I'm catching up with the news and updates today.

Re her many attempts to market her image to successfully launch a source of steady income, I mean that Montecito mortgage is not going to pay itself if the money dries up, I give her the best of wishes. Problem is she has become a repeat offender in the art of not listening to advice or learning from failed experiences.

She needs a better PR team that can get through her, as in telling her there's reality and there's your idea of that reality. She needs to reorganize priorities and see what she can do with the Meghan Markle as a stand-alone brand without the need to drag in the 'duchess' into the mix. That's the trigger for the bad press, to rely on a title given to her spouse to share with her as long as was not used for marketing products.

That's how I see a solution for her, market yourself and not your husband's title and I bet the opinion will turn around to a more positive outlook in 2024. Will she ever listen? I doubt it.

Re Harry's legal stay in the USA, that's a major problem that can escalate fast. In the USA we had one of those reality shows with the 'Housewives' and couple or more years ago the spouse of one of the reality show divas ended up first in prison (taxes) and them extradited to Italy. You don't mess with immigration here or in any country.

I definitely agree with you about the PR! The title of this “American orchid whatever” does not roll off the tongue easily - her former blog “the tig” was easy to remember. They’ve lost so many people on their “team,” my guess is they don’t have a PR team anymore or if they do, Meghan isn’t listening. There is no PR professional on the planet who would green light the orchid name - lol!

I looked at the one page - is that all there is? If so I don’t see that as a very strong “launch.”

 

[HRHHermione]

I looked at the one page - is that all there is? If so I don’t see that as a very strong “launch.”

Yes, for now it’s just the landing page. Aside from any arguments about what the Royal family was doing that day, I wonder about the strategy here. You would think they would want to capture the attention that comes from announcing the new company and having it picked up in world media when they had a product ready to promote rather than just a landing page to capture email addresses.

 

[Royalist.in.NC]

She can afford to keep trying something new. That’s one thing she has.

And- honestly- I think she wants to be seen as globally successful at something other than marrying well and bashing the in laws.

She has long been interested in women’s issues and has rubbed shoulders with a lot of HIGHLY successful, highly talented women. Meghan is at these events because she married well- not for what she accomplished. I think she wants to accomplish something on a big scale. What she’s said and done speaks to that.

Meghan- IOW- is very ambitious imo. She doesn’t just aspire to an extravagant lifestyle and lots of money. Whether she has the talent to back up the size of her ambition is another question. But I don’t doubt she is ambitious. So- that is my long winded way of saying I’m not surprised she keeps trying new things.

I absolutely agree that she is very ambitious and wants to make her “mark” in the world. And I think she could have and may still be able to reach a certain audience. But if she wanted to be on the level of someone like, for example, Michelle Obama, that ship has sailed due to all the RF bashing. And I thinks she is bright and articulate enough that it could have been a possibility. But trust and respect have flown out the window, IMHO. She “doesn’t play well with others.”

 

[Sunnystar]

I definitely agree with you about the PR! The title of this “American orchid whatever” does not roll off the tongue easily - her former blog “the tig” was easy to remember. They’ve lost so many people on their “team,” my guess is they don’t have a PR team anymore or if they do, Meghan isn’t listening. There is no PR professional on the planet who would green light the orchid name - lol!

I looked at the one page - is that all there is? If so I don’t see that as a very strong “launch.”

American Riviera Orchard. Which... Someone from SoCal, help me out... Since when has the Santa Barbara coast been called the "American Riviera"? At least, I think that's where this name came from - but, again, it doesn't really make much of an impression because I don't think that's a commonly referred to nickname for the area (or any coastal area in the US, TBH - the only coastal area in the US that has 'riviera' in a regional nickname is the Redneck Riviera, aka the Gulf Coastline from Panama City FL west to Alabama).

But back to ARO - it's a mouthful of word salad as someone else upthread already said.

 

[Erin9]

American Riviera Orchard. Which... Someone from SoCal, help me out... Since when has the Santa Barbara coast been called the "American Riviera"? At least, I think that's where this name came from - but, again, it doesn't really make much of an impression because I don't think that's a commonly referred to nickname for the area (or any coastal area in the US, TBH - the only coastal area in the US that has 'riviera' in a regional nickname is the Redneck Riviera, aka the Gulf Coastline from Panama City FL west to Alabama).

But back to ARO - it's a mouthful of word salad as someone else upthread already said.

It is a mouthful of a world salad. But- I’ve seen Meghan give a few interviews/speeches that were full of word salads. So very on brand for her. I certainly don’t doubt she came up with the name. It’s a bit pretentious sounding too.

If she’s planning to sell expensive things- she picked the right name.

 

[HRHHermione]

Several posts have been deleted. As Administrator Ista reminded this thread only yesterday, discussion of removal of titles is off topic for this thread.

 

[Curryong]

The part of the coast where the Sussexes live is referred to as the American Riviera. I read someone correcting a British journalist yesterday who was ridiculing Meghan for using the phrase. That person stated that the Santa Barbara tourist authorities even put it on their tourist and educational material. And see below.

About Santa Barbara | Pacifica Graduate Institute

Pacifica is located just south of Santa Barbara. See this page for information on the beautiful Santa Barbara region, including landmarks and attractions.

www.pacifica.edu

 

[TLLK]

The part of the coast where the Sussexes live is referred to as the American Riviera. I read someone correcting a British journalist yesterday who was ridiculing Meghan for using the phrase. That person stated that the Santa Barbara tourist authorities even put it on their tourist and educational material. And see below.

About Santa Barbara | Pacifica Graduate Institute

Pacifica is located just south of Santa Barbara. See this page for information on the beautiful Santa Barbara region, including landmarks and attractions.

www.pacifica.edu

As a lifelong So Cal native, I have personally never heard this reference to the region as an "American Riviera" until the past 2 days. Neither had my daughter who lived there for 4 years as a UC Santa Barbara student.

But if SB Co. and the surrounding communities want to use it, that's fine with me.

 

[Sunnystar]

The part of the coast where the Sussexes live is referred to as the American Riviera. I read someone correcting a British journalist yesterday who was ridiculing Meghan for using the phrase. That person stated that the Santa Barbara tourist authorities even put it on their tourist and educational material. And see below.

About Santa Barbara | Pacifica Graduate Institute

Pacifica is located just south of Santa Barbara. See this page for information on the beautiful Santa Barbara region, including landmarks and attractions.

www.pacifica.edu

Yeah... it's a tourist/marketing ploy. And a pretentious one at that.

I'm sure there is a huge market for upscale beige/grey homewares (I'm not it - I've hated the beige/grey/neutrals trend the entirety of its existence, lol). It could be successful if she really has her heart into it. We'll just have to wait and see.

 

[Curryong]

Actually the phrase for the Santa Barbara area has been around since the 1920s.
According to Travel & Leisure, Santa Barbara has been known as the “American Riviera” for more than 100 years “because of its temperate climate and lush landscapes, as well as its robust food and wine culture.”


And I have noted that when Meghan scored a win, such as when the judge dismissed Samantha Markle’s defamation case the silence is deafening among British media commentators and her other detractors.
However, when she is seen to be doing something ‘wrong’ such as launching her homewares and cooking show endeavour on the same day as the Diana Awards (at which Harry appeared at midnight GMT and hardly any media commented on the happy interchanges he had with the participants,) all hell broke loose around Meghan, especially on SM.
I have been wondering recently what would happen if ever Meghan underwent a serious bout of ill health. Rejoicings all round? Probably.

 

[Leopoldine]

The business model seems very similar to the plans Sarah DoY announced in 2020. She was introducing three brands -- Ginger & Moss, The Duchess Collection and Fergie's Farm. The products planned varied from teas, textiles, wallpaper, preserves, china, candles and much more. The Fergie's Farm line was organic food and I sort of remember a promotional event for it on a ferry or cruising vessel in Northern Europe.

The King's Duchy Originals seemed to be a very successful well-planned scheme.

 

[Toledo]

Found this detailed article on the American Riviera Orchard brand. By the way, in all the decades living in the USA to a point of no return, I've never, ever seen or heard the term American Riviera used to refer to any part on SoCal (South California), in paper, TV or movies. Never.

​

Meghan Markle's American Riviera Orchard Brand: Everything We Know So Far

Excerpts:
"...Alongside the branding, a 16-second short film sets the aesthetic tone for the commercial venture.
Shot in a soft focus and underscored by the 1960 song "I Wish You Love" by Nancy Wilson, the video features clips of a figure (apparently Meghan) arranging flowers and posing in a ballgown."

"...On February 2, a trademark application for the name was filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office by the company Mama Knows Best, LLC..."

"The trademarks have been registered to use the name for the purpose of a number of lifestyle related goods and services both for retail-store and e-commerce, these include: flatware; cookbooks; household linens; jellies, jams, nut butters and spreads; gift wrap; stationary; candles; yoga mats and pet food."
And the start of the article this line caught my eye for being delusional, comparing Markle and Gwyneth Paltrow to self-made billionaire Martha Stewart:

" ...her highly anticipated lifestyle brand set to place her shoulder to shoulder with Hollywood's influencing elite, such as Gwyneth Paltrow and Martha Stewart."

FYI Neither Paltrow, Markle or any other Hollywood celebrity can even compare to Martha Stewart's long career that started as working very young to help her parents, working on the Wall Street floor to support, again her parents and family, becoming a divorced single parent and working even harder to create a baking business, flipping houses on the side, getting an opportunity with Julia Child's cooking show to be seen as an up and coming TV entrepreneur, creating a magazine and a household good brand, going to prison because of an angry employee, for losing her own money in Wall Street, and reinventing herself again back to the top to support herself and her now adult daughter's family.

Neither Meghan nor Hollywood princess Paltrow can match Martha Stewart's life of hard work as a daughter first helping her parents, then as a single parent supporting two generations with her work. Sorry, but that's the truth.

 

[EllieCat]

I've previously designed a successful website and my late husband, who was a graphic designer, would have been rolling on the floor laughing at this. The supposed calligraphy looks tacky, the logo is a tangled mess and the name is far too long and clumsy; a one word name a la "Goop" would have been far better.

I have been a graphic designer for five decades, and spent two of those doing professional calligraphy – by hand – as well. The logo is a poor design, too complex for what(ever) it stands for, the name 'American...' will be hard to remember and the font used for the name looks as though it has come from one of those non-professional 1001 free fonts websites. It's all very 'enthusiastic amateur.'

I also believe since America is a land that does not recognise titles, that Meghan should have used her own surname or married surname 'Windsor'. Why use a title in a land that does not recognise such? Being a strong, proud, independent woman, why does she cling to that title? Is it because she's only where she is because she married a prince?

The goods look nice, i have no problem with beige, and I hope she does well. And I'd hope so even more if she did it under her own name.

 

[Erin9]

Actually the phrase for the Santa Barbara area has been around since the 1920s.
According to Travel & Leisure, Santa Barbara has been known as the “American Riviera” for more than 100 years “because of its temperate climate and lush landscapes, as well as its robust food and wine culture.”


And I have noted that when Meghan scored a win, such as when the judge dismissed Samantha Markle’s defamation case the silence is deafening among British media commentators and her other detractors.
However, when she is seen to be doing something ‘wrong’ such as launching her homewares and cooking show endeavour on the same day as the Diana Awards (at which Harry appeared at midnight GMT and hardly any media commented on the happy interchanges he had with the participants,) all hell broke loose around Meghan, especially on SM.
I have been wondering recently what would happen if ever Meghan underwent a serious bout of ill health. Rejoicings all round? Probably.

Be that as it may, I do not think Santa Barbara being referred to as the “American Riviera” is particularly well known. I know a lot of American regional names….that’s sure not one of them. I’m quite well aware of the French Riviera though. lol That Riviera I’m familiar with.

So….imo….very few people are going to actually know what the name of Meghan’s company is referring to unless they want to google it. And it still sounds pretentious to me.

Most normal human beings aren’t going to “rejoice” should Meghan ever have health issues. Good grief. A handful of sick people on SM probably would. Probably the same people inventing idiotic theories about Catherine’s health. It unfortunately comes with the territory of being famous these days. The results wouldn’t be unique to Meghan.

 

[TLLK]

Yeah... it's a tourist/marketing ploy. And a pretentious one at that.

I'm sure there is a huge market for upscale beige/grey homewares (I'm not it - I've hated the beige/grey/neutrals trend the entirety of its existence, lol). It could be successful if she really has her heart into it. We'll just have to wait and see.

Yes it's definitely a realtor type marketing ploy. I can think of a few more CA locations that would fit the "American Riviera " description: La Jolla, Coronation del Mar, Palos Verdes. However I think locals would snicker over the term because it is very pretentious.

 

[Sunnystar]

Yes it's definitely a realtor type marketing ploy. I can think of a few more CA locations that would fit the "American Riviera " description: La Jolla, Coronation del Mar, Palos Verdes. However I think locals would snicker over the term because it is very pretentious.

If you asked me on a quiz show what region of the US was referred to as the "American Riviera" I would have guessed the Hamptons or Palm Beach before I guessed any part of California - but certainly La Jolla would be my first guess if I knew it was located in California.

 

[Alison H]

Actually the phrase for the Santa Barbara area has been around since the 1920s.
According to Travel & Leisure, Santa Barbara has been known as the “American Riviera” for more than 100 years “because of its temperate climate and lush landscapes, as well as its robust food and wine culture.”


And I have noted that when Meghan scored a win, such as when the judge dismissed Samantha Markle’s defamation case the silence is deafening among British media commentators and her other detractors.
However, when she is seen to be doing something ‘wrong’ such as launching her homewares and cooking show endeavour on the same day as the Diana Awards (at which Harry appeared at midnight GMT and hardly any media commented on the happy interchanges he had with the participants,) all hell broke loose around Meghan, especially on SM.
I have been wondering recently what would happen if ever Meghan underwent a serious bout of ill health. Rejoicings all round? Probably.

All hell broke loose? I haven't seen a single mention in the papers or on TV of Meghan's cookery awards. There was some mention in the papers of the fact that William and Harry didn't appear together at the Diana Awards - which I think would probably have saddened Diana greatly - but no-one was interested in Meghan's cookery show or the timing of it. And I certainly haven't seen anything in the media wishing bad health on anyone. The papers have been full of pictures of the Queen, Princess Anne, Zara, Beatrice, Eugenie and even Autumn at the Cheltenham Festival. No-one is interested in Meghan. If she wants to do a cookery show, fine, that's her business, but it certainly isn't attracting any interest in the media.

I remember the days when Lady Helen Windsor (as she was then) and Marina Ogilvy (as she was then) were always all over the papers. Now, they're rarely mentioned. That's the way it goes.

 

[Hallo girl]

Actually the phrase for the Santa Barbara area has been around since the 1920s.
According to Travel & Leisure, Santa Barbara has been known as the “American Riviera” for more than 100 years “because of its temperate climate and lush landscapes, as well as its robust food and wine culture.”


And I have noted that when Meghan scored a win, such as when the judge dismissed Samantha Markle’s defamation case the silence is deafening among British media commentators and her other detractors.
However, when she is seen to be doing something ‘wrong’ such as launching her homewares and cooking show endeavour on the same day as the Diana Awards (at which Harry appeared at midnight GMT and hardly any media commented on the happy interchanges he had with the participants,) all hell broke loose around Meghan, especially on SM.
I have been wondering recently what would happen if ever Meghan underwent a serious bout of ill health. Rejoicings all round? Probably.

Yes at midnight, the participants had to sit about until midnight, that is why William was already away. Harry was on a ski-ing break with whoever, I am not saying that is why they had to wait until midnight until he came on the zoom call, because I do not know. Why not just record a message and it could all have been at the same time. I hope they had transport home.

 

[Royalist.in.NC]

Interested article about other American brands similar to Meghan’s:

Meghan's tradwife rebrand is so twee that only an American would do it

If you were even a tiny bit worried that the internet was close to running out of things to say about the royal family, fear not. Meghan’s back. I’m not sure any of us were really ready for American Riviera Orchard (established 2024) with its ornate swirling gold font, but the hazy video of...

www.standard.co.uk