Meghan Markle may have bid farewell to royal hallways four years ago, but her ambitions remain fit for a queen. This year, the Duchess has been hard at work on her much-buzzed-about lifestyle brand, American Riviera Orchard. Despite teasing the project eight months ago with an Instagram page, a website, and a video, she has kept the details as secret as the Royal Vault. But the grapevine suggests her vision aims to rival Gwyneth Paltrow’s $250 million lifestyle empire. 

Previous whispers linked Markle’s inspirations to Martha Stewart, but now the spotlight has seemingly landed on Paltrow’s crown in the lifestyle game.

According to royal expert Tina Brown speaking with The Express a few weeks ago, Meghan Markle has been reportedly drawing inspiration for American Riviera Orchard from Gwyneth Paltrow’s impressive $250 million Goop lifestyle brand. As per the reports, the Duchess has extensively researched Paltrow’s Goop empire in the early stages of running her former blog, The Tig, and her trademark application implies that she has plans to incorporate a range of luxury items on her website.

From “high-end homeware to gourmet jam,” Markle has been curating the brand items with a special focus on the lifestyle market. While praising Paltrow’s million-dollar business, Brown addressed how insiders have been suggesting Markle’s American Riviera Orchard will potentially rival Paltrow’s ambitions. A Suits member even revealed that the Duchess had always been talking about Goop but the royal expert pointed out her former blog could not cash in on the chic marketing of the brand. 

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While the prospects and ambitions laid out by insiders for Markle’s brand have been nothing short of glittery, the question remains: when will the American Riviera Orchard launch?

Meghan Markle first teased her American Riviera Orchard brand in April. While the anticipation has been roof-hitting from day one, Markle’s stepping in as a lifestyle maestro had many waiting on the updates. Although they have been scarce, Page Six reported that she has plans to unveil her lifestyle brand in early 2025. The report suggests that the Duchess will launch her “cooking, gardening, and entertaining” show on Netflix during the same phase.

Daily Mail previously reported something similar last month but it also revealed that Netflix will handle her lifestyle brand merchandising. However, with trademark issues taking the limelight, it remains to be seen whether her lifestyle game truly reaches its potential, since even without its official launch, it has earned the shade from one of the biggest lifestyle moguls.

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