American Riviera Orchard is something Duchess Meghan ‘wanted to do for a while’

There is a genuine shift in how the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are being discussed and the reactions to their work and their projects. It really feels like we’re in a new era. While the British media wants to continue to scream, cry and throw up over every little piece of Sussex news, their tantrums are falling flat, especially with so much controversy happening around Prince William and Kate. Every time the British media tries to claim ownership over the Sussexes’ lives, regular people are going “wait, but you’re going out of your way to respect Kate’s questionable privacy?” It’s great. The racist double standards are obvious to even casual observers at this point. All of which means that Meghan’s American Riviera Orchard launch seems to be getting a positive reception in America, which is good news because ARO will probably be North-American exclusive (I’m assuming). Some highlights from this very positive People Mag exclusive:

She’s excited about ARO: A source exclusively tells PEOPLE that the lifestyle brand “will reflect everything that she loves — family, cooking, entertaining and home décor. She is excited about her latest, personal venture. This is something she’s been wanting to do for a while. She is excited to share her style and things that she loves.”

The name “American Riviera Orchard”: “Meghan finds the name American Riviera Orchard perfect. It feels authentic to her. She can’t wait for the website to launch,” the source tells PEOPLE. Meghan is seeking permission to sell cutlery, cookbooks and jarred food products, according to a trademark application, and website visitors can join an email waitlist for products and updates.

Meghan will support all of Harry’s projects too: According to the source, Meghan is highly supportive of any projects Harry wishes to pursue and wants them to establish a successful “brand.”

The Sussexes are careful about their inner circle. “They surround themselves with loyal friends and are very cautious about who they invite into their lives. Meghan is very focused on building a great network, ” the source says. “She is the type of person who will not only remember your birthday, she’ll also send a very personal and thoughtful gift.”

Meghan could care less about Salt Island:
While the Duke and Duchess of Sussex have received criticism in the U.K. press (such as around the launch of the sleek new sussex.com website), Meghan is focused on looking forward. “She could care less. She knows who her friends are and this is all she cares about,” the source says.

[From People]

People have always described Meghan as a very sensitive empath and as someone who cares what people think and say about her, so I really hope that she’s in her IDGAF Era. Just live and work and exist and thrive on your own terms! “This is something she’s been wanting to do for a while” – good, I’m glad. I’m glad she’s put it together and I’m praying for a cooking show or food-based show, plus cookbooks and fun, cute things.

Photos courtesy of Backgrid, Cover Images.

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51 Responses to “American Riviera Orchard is something Duchess Meghan ‘wanted to do for a while’”

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  1. Lala11_7 says:

    To me…it’s “Tig” on steroids & she ❤️❤️❤️ that site….As I said on Twitter regarding this…4 years later…My favorite part of this WHOLE thing is that Meghan has come out being AUTHENTICALLY who she was working on being even BEFORE she met Harry…and that’s a 😍 thing❣️

    • Lawrenceville says:

      “Personally I have no desire or interest to compete with anyone. IO hope we all make it” Quote from Meghan The Duchess of Sussex.
      The BM and WanK can continue to scream in the void, Madam Duchess could care less about any of them. She’s busy “living her best life, ain’t goin back and forth with them beaches
      she’s living her best life”🎵🎵🎵

    • Pinkosaurus says:

      This does feel very authentic to who she is and what she loves. I’m excited to see the products because I think it will be based on actual things selected by Meghan and not just an MBA’s evaluation of what will sell and be within her brand.

      • Robert Phillips says:

        The problem with something like this. Yeah It starts out being picked by Meghan. But then to create more and more content. It starts being less and less what Meghan likes. And more commercial of what is being sent in to sell. I’m not dispareging her. Just that this is what happens with all blogs and all entertainment that is ongoing.

      • Little Red says:

        I certainly hope so. Meghan has proven herself to be very savvy about the business side of things so I wonder if she has some way of maintaining control over the business so that she doesn’t get pushed out by the MBAs if she doesn’t want to go in a direction they want her to and doesn’t fall prey to the “need” for more and more content.

      • Isabella says:

        @Robert, you are probably not the target audience. And let’s not rain on Meghan’s parade. THIS blog has been around a long time and it hasn’t gone in a bad direction or lost its appeal. Just one of many examples. And GOOP was always GOOP.

  2. I’m glad she is ready to do what she wants to do on her own terms and is free to thrive and live happily ever since leaving the salt isle prison she had been living in.

  3. Jais says:

    I really want a cooking show. I’d also love a travel food show where Meghan takes Harry to spots trying out American food he’s never had before. And again I’m saying this as someone who doesn’t like to cook. I’ve bought the together cookbook and the WCK cookbook and they look very pretty in my house. Ask me how much I’ve actually cooked from them…😅.

    • Shawna says:

      That would be hilarious!

    • Jay says:

      That kind of travel cooking show would be amazing, and would seem to fit well with Meghan’s focus on communities. I could see her visiting (for example) a woman-owned hot sauce company, hearing the story about how the company came to be and exploring the cultural significance of the ingredients/ flavours, visiting the factory, then cooking her own version of a regional dish. That’s basically what Rick Stein does.

      It would bring attention to small brands and maybe there’s even room for a partnership with ARO? Plus, I think M and H road tripping through the US would be amazing.

      • Sara says:

        Stanley Tucci has a great travel food show on Italy and he’s gone to amazing kitchens and businesses that are run by refugees or are reviving local traditions or are sustainable, to spotlight the issues that are important to him – and I have always thought that type of show would be perfect for Meghan.

      • Jais says:

        Right? When all those pics of Harry and Meghan visiting that women-owned bbq joint in Austin came out, I just thought how cool would this be as an episode. Or that Indian restaurant in Vancouver. An actual show that spotlights specific places that speak to their values. Like we got pics but imagine them talking to the cooks and the owners and trying the foods. I’m sorry but I’d watch that so hard. I know there are shows out there like that already but with Harry and Meghan? Come on.

      • Aidee Kay says:

        I, too, would love a Meghan travel/food show, featuring people whom H+M/Archewell help through their philanthropic initiatives!! Like the Afghan women refugees they visited. Or she could fly over a few of the Grenfell kitchen women cooks and do an episode with them. It would be a great way to highlight/promote their philanthropy as well as give cooking show fans and Meghan fans the content we want.

    • JJ says:

      A food travel show with her and Harry would be great!

    • Blithe says:

      I would love this! AND I would buy — and use — any and all of the associated cookbooks.
      Lol: I’m happily indulging myself imagining : “Harry tries soft shell crabs”.

  4. Amy Bee says:

    I mean, Meghan didn’t go to the coronation. That was a clear indication that she DGAF about the Royal Family and the reaction of the British press. The decision to launch her new venture on the same day as the Legacy Awards is another indication. I think Meghan stopped caring about them soon after the Queen died.

    • Caribbean says:

      You know the thing about the launch on Diana’s ‘day’? I am wondering why people are not asking how William could not put aside been in his feelings for Diana’s day? William, as heir to a whole throne and billions of dollars (so technically, he has everything) could not stop and sit in a room with a video of his brother (to honor their mother together), and NOBODY said how he was dishonoring Diana’s memory. Meghan launching a business that will help pay for protection of Diana’s son and grandchildren is somehow dishonoring her memory…
      I am wondering if they checked with all the other ‘working’ royals to see what they were launching on that day or if they were just ‘horsing’ around? The need to make the world hate Meghan is real…omg.

      • Christine says:

        Well said.

      • Angie says:

        I really think that he is so envious of his brother who has the life he wants. Harry was so engaging in that video and it showed that he is most like Diana in everything he does. You can have everything like William and still be envious. Harry has the wife he wishes he had smart and charismatic. I believe every time he sees Harry he knows that Harry is the lucky one. He got away to live his life on his terms. Meghan said something before she left “It’s not of enough to thrive you got to be happy. I really believe that they have achieved that in spite of all the hardships they encountered.

      • Amy Bee says:

        @Caribbean: Don’t get me wrong, I see anything wrong with Meghan launching her venture on the day of the awards. In my opinion people can do a number of things on the same day. Plus she won’t have launched on that day if she didn’t have the support of Harry but I’m sure she and Harry weren’t surprised when the British press tried to attack her for launching on the same day.

    • Caribbean says:

      I know you were not throwing shade @Amy Bee 🙂

      I hope that Meghan at least took some of the ‘FIRM’s’ way of doing things and go about launching her business with no thought as to the personal…I hope that her thinking was that…to get maximum exposure with the least amount of effort…that day was a great day and one that her mother-in-law would have been happy for.
      I am taken by the fact that those ‘reporters’ that would gladly see the death of Diana’s son, Harry, marriage and (I believe) the physical death of any of the Sussexes, these ‘reporters’ are acting like they are somehow the keeper of her Legacy. I am sure that Harry’s mother would be proud of her Legacy housed within Harry…she, Diana, in my opinion, would be happy to see him and his wife as they are, doing good, making money (launching whenever the h&ll they want…Please note: that day would not exist if the ‘media’ did not help to ‘off’ her) and holding on to each other.

      • Amy Bee says:

        I’m not sure Meghan is thinking in that way. It’s being assumed that the launch date has to with it being the day they left Canada to US, their “Freedom Day”. I think it has do with that rather and Diana. I suspect that the launch date was set before the dated for Diana Legacy awards. But I agree that Diana would happy with the life Harry is leading now and that he’s providing Meghan with the protection that she never got from Charles.

  5. Shawna says:

    *could not care less or couldn’t care less

    This is a pet peeve of mine! If you “could care less,” it does mean you care at least a little. A position of “less caring” is possible.

    • Ginny says:

      Same, @Shawna!! This always bugs me, too!

    • Scooby Gang says:

      SHAWNA – Thank you! This is a huge pet peeve of mine too!! If you could care less, then you care at least a bit.

      Example:

      I couldn’t care less about “protecting the heir.” I just want to know why people are no longer talking about the bruises all over Peg’s neck that appeared right after the Kingston announcement. 😉

    • Ameerah M says:

      THANK YOU! It drives me nuts when people say “could care less”. That means you CARE! LOL. “COULDN’T care less” means you truly have no Fs to give.

    • BlueNailsBetty says:

      I work really hard at keeping my mouth shut on grammar or spelling errors because most of the time it’s irrelevant. The end result is understandable and that is what matters.

      But.

      In this case, the incorrect wordage really does matter. The two phrases mean totally different things. I’m surprised the reporter and editor (and even Kaiser) got it wrong.

    • Saucy&Sassy says:

      Shawna, I agree. I decided years ago that the phrase is well worn and remembered the way it’s often spoken. People don’t even think about whether it conveys their real feelings.

    • SarahCS says:

      Yes! If she ‘could care less’, well, she does care. If she couldn’t care less on the other had then she has no care for this thing.

    • bisynaptic says:

      🎯❤️🎯

  6. MaryContrary says:

    Not a fan of the name, (didn’t like The Tig either) but I think it’s so great for her to get back to what she really loves and can use as a creative outlet. I would love to see her do a cooking show from that gorgeous house.

  7. Ginny says:

    Genuine question: I never know how to take this kind of exclusive stories featuring Sussex “sources,” because I thought H&M had said outright that they weren’t going to communicate that way/play that game, and we should only trust things coming straight from them or their spokesperson. So how do y’all tend to think about this kind of story? Do we really think it’s coming from them? Again, I hope it comes across that this is a genuine question from a H&M stan — I truly want to be able to sift through the media thoughtfully, especially given the wild ride of the last 2+ months with the Waleses! Sometimes when I’ve posted general questions like this with the hope of having a real conversation, I’ve been kind of jumped on/misunderstood, or outright deleted! So we’ll see what happens to this comment, ha…

    • Pinkosaurus says:

      @Ginny, I agree. I’m not sure this is actually from a Sussex source and suspect it is just stuff People made up based on public information. That said, it’s really telling to me that the tenor of the made-up stories is shifting from always negative to neutral/positive. Even US-based media had the negative tone about M&H and that is changing quickly.

    • Amy Bee says:

      I think People is quoting Omid’s new book which talked about Harry and Meghan’s plans going forward. I distinctly remember that there was discussion of Meghan starting a project involved family, cooking, entertaining and home décor in the book.

      • Ginny says:

        Ohh that’s interesting and helpful to know! I haven’t had a chance to read Omid’s book yet!

    • BlueNailsBetty says:

      I understand the confusion.

      Personally, I don’t believe any article (even glowingly positive ones) that uses anonymous sources.

      So in this case, I don’t believe anyone associated with Meghan gave these quotes. I think the reporter was given an assignment to report on ARO or they might be a fan of Meghan and they wanted to report on ARO. But I don’t think the reporter actually spoke to anyone related to Meghan or ARO.

    • Harla A Brazen Hussy says:

      It is hard to ignore the “Sussex sources” when it’s a negative piece, without also ignoring the “Sussex source” when it’s a positive piece. Personally I just choose to believe what I feel is the truth, based off of what Harry and Meghan have shared and how various friends/coworkers have described them. Now that might be considered naïve but it gives me great piece of mind and that’s all I really want these days. 🙂

      • Ginny says:

        I get that!! Yeah, I have decided to just take it all with a grain of salt and ask myself if it rings true to what we do know of them.

    • sevenblue says:

      @Ginny, from what I read from Omid’s book, he said sometimes H&M’s team comments on stories using “sources” after their move to USA. He said, H&M didn’t think enough when they said ‘no sources will speak for us’, because when a not-so-serious magazine comes and ask for a comment about something, you can’t always use “spokesperson” as reference, which lends importance to the story. So, it depends how much you trust Omid’s word.

      What I noticed from H&M, their spokesperson is only commenting on things which they consider very important, like refuting Page 6 story about Meghan saying she would never do the same mistake as Kate. Otherwise, if the story isn’t that important, it is possible they are giving quotes using “sources”.

      • Ginny says:

        Thank you @sevenblue, that is really helpful!! Gosh, this is reminding me I need to read Omid’s book — I had a baby shortly after it came out and have barely had time for reading since, ha…

      • Beverley says:

        Congrats on your wee one, Ginny! 💕

  8. Harla A Brazen Hussy says:

    My only little compliant about ARO is that I wished it had launched when it was all ready to go and ready to fulfill orders. The excitement about the launch was awesome but now I want to buy stuff, read articles and watch Meg cook.

    • Amy Bee says:

      I think this is all part of the strategy to build excitement and anticipation for when the products do come out.

  9. Butters says:

    If Audrey Gelman can sell me grape-shaped soap on a rope, Meghan can sell me artisanal anything. Bring it on!

  10. cabooklover says:

    I just hope whatever she sells is affordable, otherwise I’m gonna cry.

    • Friday says:

      Same and it needs to ship outside of the US please and thank you.

    • Pinkosaurus says:

      I don’t care if she has some really expensive splurge items available because I don’t mind some aspirational dreaming, but I’m hoping the food products will be a reasonable treat. I will be just as excited to have some Madame Duchess jam on my toast as I read CB.

  11. Just Jade says:

    All I want is one episode of a cooking show with the whole family including the dogs for the rats to finally have a nervous breakdown.

  12. Mary Pester says:

    I can’t wait for lift of and I DO mean lift of. Because you can bet your last penny that ARO is going to be so professional but at the same time, warn, relatable and very interesting that the BM is going to explode because it’s Megan. They won’t be able to critisise, because Megan will have done her homework, and they will be scratching and shouting and literally pushing bone out the door for another pye chart display😂😂😂😂watch and weep BM watch and weep

  13. Kelsey says:

    “People have always described Meghan as a very sensitive empath and as someone who cares what people think and say about her-”

    Gentle, respectful clarification: She cared when people LIED on her. She knew everyone wouldn’t like her because that’s how people are, but she never thought she’d be lied on so much and that people would believe it. I’m sure she’s accepted that “this is the way it is” (very unfair) and has moved on from wondering if leopards would change their spots.