Meghan’s fury AS SHE’S CALLED A ‘FRAUD FEMINIST’
‘Trad wife’ claims sully her lifestyle brand launch
Meghan Markle has finally announced the launch of her long-rumoured lifestyle brand, but though her fans are behind her, the move has been widely criticised. Now, an insider tells heat that Meghan’s standing by her project and has recruited some powerful pals to help make it a success.
In a noticeable career pivot, Meghan, 42, announced the launch of new lifestyle brand American Riviera Orchard last week. It’s been reported that the platform – the name of which pays tribute to her and Harry’s Montecito home – will sell things such as cookbooks, food, and home essentials. In a hazy video shared to social media, the Duchess was seen arranging flowers and baking in her picturesque mansion, accompanied by the sweet sounds of some slow jazz. But while many were excited to see her next step, not everyone was positive.
Questioning whether the Duchess’ new brand could be “cheerily cashing in on all manner of outdated tropes of womanhood”, The Standard wrote, “Flower arranging, mixing things in a bowl, [and] prancing around her mansion in a ball gown is giving one quite clear archetype (to borrow her podcast term): trad wife. Which is, for the self-proclaimed feminist and activist, quite the pivot.” Drawing comparisons to Gwyneth Paltrow’s own wellness brand, The Times’ branded American Riviera Orchard a “sanitised [version of] Goop”, while one PR expert warned against the potential hypocrisy, stating, “You can’t one minute be championing the underprivileged and then the next minute be standing in your luxury kitchen selling luxury homemade products.” Indeed, Meghan’s bio on her website Sussexroyal also bigs up her progressive credentials, claiming, “The Duchess of Sussex is a feminist and champion of human rights and gender equity. Her lifelong advocacy for women and girls remains a constant thread in her humanitarian and business ventures”.
However, plenty of people were excited. One PR expert said that the brand will represent “everything that Meghan loves – family, cooking, entertainment, and home décor”, adding, “This is something she’s been wanting to do for a while.” On top of that, the brand’s Instagram page has amassed over half a million followers, and while the world debates the whys and wherefores of American Riviera Orchard,
‘People will find a reason to hate her’
an insider tells heat that Meghan is proudly standing by her brand.
“Meghan is all too aware that she’ll never be able to please everyone. Criticism comes with the territory, and most of it tends to wash over her these days. However, the suggestion that she’s some kind of fraud feminist has cut deep,” says our source. “She’s adamant that she’s no fake. She’s gone out of her way to create something that’s authentic, empowering, and modern in its message. Yes, she’s doing things like flower arranging and baking, but what’s wrong with that? She’s insulted that it’s now being used as a stick to beat her with.”
The insider continues, “Meghan’s view is that whatever she does, certain parties would find a reason to hate it. She’s just trying to roll with the punches and focus on making the project a huge success. It’s just unfortunate that it’s been a bumpier start than she would have liked.”
The Duchess’ latest career pivot comes off the back of a tumultuous year for her and husband Prince Harry, 39, which saw the couple’s multimillion podcast deal with Spotify terminated after just 12 months – with Spotify executive Bill Simmons branding them “f**king grifters”. The pair then found themselves labelled one of Tinseltown’s “biggest losers” by The Hollywood Reporter. But the launch of American Riviera Orchard shows that Meghan and Harry are coming back with all guns blazing – and Meghan’s got one of America’s most powerful families on her side. In amongst the thousands who flocked to follow American Riviera Orchard’s Instagram was none other than Kris Jenner, 68, a sign of Harry and Meghan’s growing bond with the influential Kar-jenner brood.
Revealing that the momager has taken the couple under her wing, our insider says, “Kris has gone all-in on Meghan and Harry. She thinks they’ve had such a raw deal so far, but she’s certain that they have big money-making potential. Kris has done a great job of convincing them that if they team up with her, she can help them build a business empire. She’s clear that there’s some big image rehabilitation to be done, but the best thing they can do is get themselves back out there and stop worrying what other people think.”
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were first linked to the Kardashians last year, when Meghan’s mum Doria Ragland was spotted rubbing shoulders with Kris and Kim at an event in LA. Just last week, it emerged that Prince Harry had been joined on a
‘Beggars can’t be choosers’
ski trip by Kris’s long-term partner Corey Gamble, 43. Now, our insider says Kris is getting the whole family involved in the mission to salvage Brand Sussex.
“It’s not just the start-up issues that Kris can help
with,” we’re told. “Being in business with her means being connected to the whole family, and that means endless opportunities to collaborate on crossbrand promotions, something Meghan desperately needs for American Riviera Orchard. They’ll be scratching each other’s backs in any way they can – giving intros, securing invites to events, and giving shoutouts to each other. Kris has already brought Corey in on things. He really hit it off with Harry, who thinks he’s a brilliant manager with some smart business takes. Kris has also promised to bring in investors for Meghan, and she’s already delivered with a bunch of meetings that went really well.”
Although Kris’ list of contacts could be Harry and Meghan’s key to the Hollywood kingdom, it won’t come for free. Our source says that the mum of six – whose family is said to be worth nearly £3billion – has her own end of the bargain that needs to be upheld.
“Kris is adamant Harry and Meghan need to appear on The Kardashians if she’s going to commit to helping them,” we’re told. “Love her or hate her, there’s no disputing she has a lot of pull in Hollywood. There’s hope inside the Kardashian camp that by joining forces with the Sussexes, it’ll add value to their brand.”
However, palling up to the reality TV family isn’t quite the deal the Duke and Duchess expected. The pair were previously rumoured to be building friendships with the likes of George and Amal Clooney and the Obamas, hoping to work their way into Hollywood’s elite inner circle. Our insider says, “Meghan and Harry know this isn’t ideal, but at this point, they’re desperate. They’ve have had to bite the bullet and accept that the association with Kris is as good as anyone else at this point. Meghan wants to reach billionaire status, so as much as she would prefer to be partnering up with Beyoncé or Oprah, she’s not turning her nose up at this opportunity with Kris. The harsh reality is that they’re in a position where beggars can’t be choosers.”
The source continues, “For her part, Kris is practically salivating over this new deal. She’s saying that Meghan and Harry are an untapped goldmine. The family already see themselves as LA royalty, but being able to connect their brand with the real deal is something they’ve dreamed of for a long time.” ■