Mystery as Meghan Markle’s lifestyle brand website leads to UK foodbank

Emma Guinness
·3 min read
2

The UK website domain for Meghan Markle’s new lifestyle brand leads to a foodbank, The Independent has discovered.

The former senior royal, 41, announced her new venture, American Riviera Orchard, on social media last month, however, it was not immediately clear exactly what it was offering.

But it soon emerged that the company is registered to sell lifestyle products including downloadable and printed recipe books, tableware, textiles, as well as foods like jam and marmalade.

The first of these products - jars of jam - were made public after Markle gifted 50 limited edition samples to influencers to promote the brand ahead of its official launch.

While the website ending in ‘.com’ leads to a highly stylised website introducing Meghan’s brand along with a waiting list to join, the site ending in ‘.uk’ encourages people to donate to the Trussell Trust and features a link to a GoFundMe set up for the charity.

It is believed that American Riviera Orchard will be a luxury lifestyle brand, although none of its prices have currently been made public.

The brand’s soft launch included a vintage-style video of the actress pruning flowers and cooking to the tune of Nancy Wilson’s “I Wish You Love”.

It is believed American Riviera Orchard will sell luxury lifestyle products (Tracy Robbins/Instagram)
It is believed American Riviera Orchard will sell luxury lifestyle products (Tracy Robbins/Instagram)

At the time of writing, American Riviera Orchard only has a website and an Instagram page, neither of which currently feature any products - merely its gold-embossed name.

The creator of the GoFundMe clarified that they are not Meghan Markle, writing: “not meghan. hope meghan wouldn’t mind. thoughts with catherine. x”

The website landing page reads: “FORGIVENESS. PERMISSION. PLEASE DONATE TO THE TRUSSELL TRUST.”

The only link directs visitors to a GoFundMe for the organisation, which has a set target of £1,000.

The fundraiser has now raised over £7,000 for the charity thanks to interest in Meghan’s new project.

The UK domain for Meghan Markle’s new lifestyle brand leads to a foodbank (PA)
The UK domain for Meghan Markle’s new lifestyle brand leads to a foodbank (PA)

The news comes amid increased food poverty across the globe, with the Trussell Trust discovering that one in seven people in the UK is currently going hungry because they cannot afford to eat.

Emma Revie, Chief Executive for The Trussell Trust, said: “Being forced to turn to a food bank to feed your family is a horrifying reality for too many people in the UK, but as [our] Hunger in the UK [report] shows, this is just the tip of the iceberg.

“Millions more people are struggling with hunger. This is not right.

Harry and Meghan are focusing on new ventures after stepping down as senior royals. (AP)
Harry and Meghan are focusing on new ventures after stepping down as senior royals. (AP)

“Food banks are not the answer when people are going without the essentials in one of the richest economies in the world. We need a social security system which provides protection and the dignity for people to cover their own essentials, such as food and bills.”

The Independent has reached out to a representative for Meghan Markle for comment.

The Trussell Trust told The Independent: “The Trussell Trust are grateful to people who put their time and energy into supporting our work to end the need for food banks in the UK. The charity is not connected with this website domain and have no knowledge of who set it up.”