Meghan Markle‘s American Riviera Orchard lifestyle brand hasn’t gotten off to the best start. And we’re not just talking about her being criticized by social media users for using her Duchess of Sussex title on its website and social media.
Shortly after the former Suits actress teased her new lifestyle brand on Instagram back in March, she sent some of the brand’s limited-edition jams to some of her A-list friends – including Kris Jenner and fashion designer Tracy Robbins. And although her famous friends dutifully shared the pictures of the brand’s first product on social media, the jams actually came under fire for being “expensive” and not really offering anything that unique or special to justify the price.
Royal biographer Angela Levin told GB News at the time: “It’s not a wonderful thing that somebody is going to make and you’re going to keep forever. Are we meant to keep the empty jar, or are we meant to keep the jam, because it’s so special at $30 a jar? It’s ridiculous.”
Meghan Markle Thinks People Are 'Unfairly' Picking On Her
If we are to believe the latest reports, the mom-of-two was "in tears" over the criticism of the jams and the overall lackluster reception of her lifestyle brand as a whole. "Meghan was in tears when the brand launched and her new jam was widely mocked for being expensive and nothing special," royal author Tom Quinn candidly told The Mirror.
"She has reached the point now where she thinks that anything and everything she does will be unfairly criticized," Quinn continued. "Like her husband, she feels that people are unfairly picking on her – she cannot understand why people don't admire her work."
Quinn added: "She is especially sensitive about any criticism of her luxurious lifestyle in the U.S. – from her point of view this is something to be admired not criticized."
Meghan Markle Will Be Heavily Promoting The Brand Over The Summer
Meghan is hoping to put the mixed reviews about her jams behind her and focus on other aspects of the lifestyle brand, which The New York Post says she is hoping to make seven figures from in the first year. And she reportedly hopes to achieve that by going on a huge promo trail over the summer!
According to The Mirror, she is due to make a string of promotional appearances on chat shows and podcasts, and also give a few interviews to "specially selected" journalists. An insider, said to be closely linked to Meghan's Hollywood agents WME, reportedly said: "This is going to be a full-on media blitz aimed at softening the public's perception of her and driving online sales when her brand goes live."
