I read that article and it shows how you can’t believe everything you read.
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You definitely can’t believe anything written in the British tabloids; especially if it concerns Harry and Meghan. Yet, so many people have allowed them to shape their opinions about the couple and the BRF; most especially those who deny they’ve done any such thing.
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Edited to add the following link.
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Someone mentioned Meghan’s new venture on another thread and I was curious. Here’s a story about it:
I get the tie-in to where they live but nonetheless, seems like a clunky & awkward name for a lifestyle brand.
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It is a really clunky name - American Riviera Orchard. I would toss the Riviera, which has a Disney connotation and/or European.
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Must have needed to add Riviera to avoid trademark issues. 
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American Riviera Orchard is a mouthful. I wonder if it will be shortened/referred to as ARO or AR Orchard.
The newest resort at Disney is the Riviera. That is what popped into my mind. Not to mention when I think of the word Riviera I certainly don’t think of jams - just seems an odd choice. 
Santa Barbara is often referred to as the American Riviera. There are many SB shops and businesses that use American Riviera in their name.
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As a Santa Barbara resident I don’t get the name. The American Riviera label (beaches, mountains, “glamour”) doesn’t seem to go with Orchard (apple trees, fall fruit picking, foliage). Will be interesting what kinds of products are sold and how they’re sourced.
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Of course Panama City Beach and company are known as the Redneck Rivera.
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Ugh what is with the faux-nostalgic and sepia-toned coastal grandma vibes here? Is she auditioning for the next Nancy Myers movie? Or did she just rip off the Nancy Myers aesthetic? I’d be way more interested in Meghan if she would just be a little more of herself - ambitious, smart, calculating even - and less of this jam-making earth mama stuff. Is she trying to convince people that while she was hustling her ass off to climb the ranks in Hollywood, she was secretly just yearning to raise chickens and arrange hydrangea all along? I’m not buying it. I’d much rather watch her try to win an Oscar or score a talk show or something more noteworthy than a fuzzy wuzzy lifestyle brand.
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It was probably structured as a corporate “sponsorship” and therefore comes out of the Archewell marketing budget as opposed to being a grant to a nonprofit charitable organization.
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In general I actually like her taste/style…and I’m only referring to what I’ve seen since she came to my attention with her engagement to Harry.
Your post made me curious about the pre-Harry Meghan. Here are a couple of links to/about her blog which she gave up when she got engaged to Harry…farm-to-table was mentioned….and she had 3 million(!) followers at the time.
I binged Suits last year because I was curious. I’ll probably check out her new Instagram for the same reason. It seems I’m not alone.
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Is it just me or does she seem to have become a Joanna Gaines copycat?
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I also generally like her style, just think she’s leaning too hard into the lifestyle stuff. The American Riviera Orchard name to me signals an attempt to position her and H as American royalty and that annoys me. There’s already a lifestyle queen (or three or five) in Montecito so it just feels unoriginal. (Whereas her Tig blog back in the day was actually right on the pulse if not ahead of it)
Meghan is next Martha Stewart🤣
But could choose to be next Suze Orman, instead.
I am choosing to reserve judgment until I see what materializes. The marketplace will determine whether it succeeds or fails.
I won’t be sucked into embracing any American Royalty nonsense.
However I will go on the record and say I will NOT be manipulated by the media and their penchant for cutesy/provocative labels. I expect H/M critics will use some form of harassment to denigrate the couple and I wouldn’t be surprised if “they’re trying to be American Royalty” is one tactic.
And no, I don’t think they have to give up their titles to prove/dispel the notion. It is Harry’s birthright and they are free to do whatever they wish, when it comes to their titles. After the way they were/are being treated by the UK tabloids, I wouldn’t fault them if they ignore the criticism.
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