In a surprising turn of events, Meghan Markle‘s foray into the lifestyle brand market has encountered an unexpected challenger – none other than her father-in-law, King Charles III.
The Duchess of Sussex’s newly launched American Riviera Orchard finds itself competing with the King’s long-established Highgrove Royal Estate and Duchy Organic labels, sparking speculation about potential royal rivalries in the business world.
Sources close to the situation reveal that Meghan is less than thrilled about this development.
“She’s trying to carve out her niche as a lifestyle mogul, but now she’s up against a royal competitor,” an insider shared.
“It feels like David facing Goliath.”
The timing of King Charles‘ recent product launches has raised eyebrows in the Sussex camp.
The introduction of Highgrove Royal Estate Honey, priced at $50, coincided with the unveiling of Meghan’s American Riviera Orchard jam.
This overlap has not gone unnoticed by the Duchess, who reportedly sees it as more than mere coincidence.
Adding fuel to the fire, the royal brand has also debuted Highgrove Splash, a men’s aftershave retailing for $250.
This move has particularly perplexed Meghan, as sources suggest she had plans to expand into the men’s grooming market herself.
“She had no idea about this, and suddenly there’s an abundance of his products flooding the market,” our source explained.
The situation has become so tense that Meghan is reportedly on the verge of confronting Charles directly about the perceived clash.
However, Prince Harry is said to be advising caution, urging his wife to hold back from making that call.
It’s worth noting that King Charles‘ involvement in product lines is not a new development.
Both the Highgrove and Duchy Organic labels have been operational for years, with profits directed towards various charitable causes.
This fact, however, seems to have done little to allay Meghan’s concerns.
“Even with the knowledge that Charles has long been involved in these ventures, Meghan can’t shake the feeling that the heavy promotion of his new launches is a deliberate attempt to curb her success,” our insider revealed.
Despite the perceived setback, Meghan’s American Riviera Orchard has garnered significant interest even before its official launch.
Reports suggest that over 100,000 people have signed up to be notified about the brand’s first product releases, indicating a strong start for the venture.
The Duchess is said to be “very pleased” with this early interest, eagerly anticipating how consumers will incorporate her products into their daily lives.
The brand’s Instagram following has reportedly surpassed 600,000, an impressive feat for a company yet to make its products available to the public.
While speculation about a royal rivalry continues to swirl, some royal commentators are dismissing the notion.
Jennie Bond, a respected voice in royal matters, stated, “I absolutely refuse to buy into suggestions of a petty rivalry between Meghan’s products and the release of new products from the Highgrove estate.”
Bond emphasizes that Highgrove has been developing new products for years, and doubts that King Charles or his marketing team would engage in such trivial competition.
“Why would Charles want to make things worse than they already are?” she questioned, suggesting that such actions would be beneath the monarch.
As both brands continue to develop and expand, only time will tell how this unexpected market overlap will play out.
Will it lead to a thawing of relations between the Sussexes and the royal family, or further strain an already tense situation?
For now, consumers can look forward to an intriguing array of lifestyle products with a royal twist, whether from the established Highgrove brand or the newcomer American Riviera Orchard.
