Meghan Markle's business 'flops' as she marks fresh start with new Instagram

On New Year's Day, Meghan Markle quite literally drew a line under the sand, appearing to look ahead to the future after what has been a tumultuous time for her entrepreneurial pursuits.

Returning to Instagram under the simple username 'meghan', the Duchess of Sussex uploaded a video reel which showed her running along a beach, before writing '2025' in the damp sand and laughing.

This seems to mark a fresh start for Meghan, 43, who has been carving out a separate path for herself in recent times, in what has previously been referred to as a "professional split" from her husband, Prince Harry. The actress-turned-royal has thrown herself into a number of exciting business projects in her post-palace life but has unfortunately encountered a few hurdles along the way.

Wait for lifestyle brand

Back in March 2024, fans were excited when Meghan announced her new lifestyle brand, American Riviera Orchard, launching both an Instagram account and a website for the brand, which will focus on home, garden, food, and lifestyle products, including cutlery, recipe books, tablecloths, napkins, jams and other kitchenware.

However, the brand has released a limited amount of jam to influencers, there has yet to be a full-blown launch, with the project beset by unfortunate delays. Royal author and expert Tom Quinn has previously suggested that Meghan is struggling to recruit staff for her eagerly awaited brand as she has a "tough outlook" and "absolute self-belief".

Speaking exclusively with the Mirror, he explained: "The result of Meghan's tough outlook is that she is having difficulties finding staff for her new brand - she wants them to be full of ideas of their own, but also totally compliant to her wishes.

"Meghan has absolute self-belief...But to make her brand a success she needs to take and accept advice and allow staff who know far more about these things to make some of the decisions. This is really difficult for Meghan as she is not a natural delegator."

Details as to the official launch of American Riviera Orchard as of yet remain unclear. The website currently only showcasing its logo and the option to join a waitlist, and there doesn't seem to be much activity stirring of late. However, the Duchess has already distributed her branded strawberry jam to 50 influencers and celebrities, including Kardashian momager Kris Jenner. The Mirror has previously approached the Sussexes' representatives for a statement.

Trademark issues

Back in September, Meghan hit further roadblocks with American Riviera Orchard after her trademark application was denied. The Duchess was issued a three-month window to respond to the "nonfinal officer action" handed out by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and warned that failure to do so could result in her application being abandoned altogether.

Then in October, Meghan faced yet another hurdle after a protest against the trademarking of the brand was filed with the USPTO by the owners of the 'Royal Riviera' trademark. The Royal Riviera trademark is currently owned by Harry and David, a US based premium food and gift retailer, who are known for their Oregon-grown 'Royal Riviera Pears'.

The letter of protest, which has been seen by The Mirror, asserts that there is a 'likelihood of confusion', with the case referred to Marco Wright, the Trademark Office's examining attorney. An application for the American Riveria Orchard trademark was initially submitted on February 2, and detailed plans to sell kitchenware, drinkware, and jams under the name American Riviera Orchard.

This application was filed with USPTO by Mama Knows Best, LLC, which has also filed an additional two applications related to American Riviera Orchard. Mama Knows Best, LLC is also registered at the same address as Harry and Meghan's Archewell Organisation, in Beverly Hills.

A source from the US previously told the Mirror: "The process for acquiring a trademark is extremely rigorous. It would be a surprise if Meghan had not received one before in trying to get her application through. She is still very much committed to her brand and has three months to respond. There is no way this will lead to abandonment."

Polo show slammed

Last month, it was reported that Meghan's upcoming cooking show "may not see the light of day" after her and Harry's Polo docuseries failed to make a splash. In April 2024, it was announced that Meghan and Harry would be working on two projects for Netflix, one about the equestrian sport of Polo, and another which would "celebrate the joys of cooking, gardening, entertaining, and friendship".

Polo, which landed on the platform on December 10, purported to show the "grit behind the glamour", with the five-part series following elite global players both on and off the field as they compete in the US Open Polo Championship in Wellington, Florida. Harry and Meghan are named as executive producers, but do not feature much in the doc, which didn't make the top 10 on either side of the pond.

After the trailer first dropped, Harry issued the following statement: "This series offers audiences an unprecedented, behind-the-scenes look into the passion and determination driving some of the world's elite polo players, revealing the grit behind the glamour. We're proud to showcase the true depth and spirit of the sport — and the intensity of its high-stakes moments."

Unfortunately, Polo currently holds a woeful 25 per cent on Rotten Tomatoes, while reviewers haven't held back. One particularly scathing review, by The Guardian's Stuart Heritage, blasts the series as "unintentionally hilarious", remarking that it "feels like a spoof documentary designed to play on screens in the background of episodes of Succession". Meanwhile, James Jackson of The Times found it to be a "tedious and utterly unrelatable watch."

After the battering from critics, a source told Closer that Harry and Meghan didn't have much creative control over the project, with bosses keen to focus on a reality TV route. The insider revealed: "Truth is, it was pretty much out of their control. The bosses wanted the series to appeal to the masses and pushed this reality TV slant so it's not entirely their fault."

The Sussexes's £80million ($100million) Netflix deal will come to an end in Autumn 2025, and according to the Mail, some Hollywood execs have suggested that any future deals won't be on the same scale due to the lack of content produced.

The couple have so far released four shows for Netflix. As well as Polo, and their explosive 2022 Harry & Meghan doc, they've also released Heart of Invictus, which explored Harry's Invictus Games initiative, and Live to Lead, a series which followed "Leaders committed to making a difference in the world".

Meghan's cookery show reportedly wrapped up filming earlier last summer, and although the title and release date have yet to be shared, sources believe it would well drop in the first quarter of 2025, either in late February or March.

However, as per the Mail, a Netflix insider has revealed that this new show "may not see the light of day" after Polo failed to become a hit, while others believe this project could be "make or break" for the Sussexes and their relationship with the streaming platform.

They claimed: "There won’t be another deal. There may be one-offs, but that’s it." Another source from California said: "It’s make or break. People say Netflix are exhausted."

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