Meghan Markle ‘Struggling’ to Find Staff for Lifestyle Brand, Expert Claims She Wants People to ‘Jump When They’re Told to Jump’
Meghan Markle is reportedly facing challenges in finding staff for her new lifestyle brand, American Riviera Orchard, due to her high demands. According to royal author Tom Quinn, the Duchess of Sussex has been struggling to get her brand off the ground since its soft launch, as she requires staffers who are both innovative and compliant with her wishes.
Fans were thrilled when Meghan announced her lifestyle brand, but since March, there has been little information or updates. The Instagram page and website for American Riviera Orchard currently feature only a logo, Meghan’s bio, and a link to join a waiting list. So far, the only product released has been 50 jars of strawberry jam, which Meghan personally sent to friends and social media influencers, leaving many wondering about the delay.
Quinn claims that Meghan’s difficulty in finding staff is a significant factor in the slow progress of her brand. He explains that Meghan’s demanding nature has been a challenge, both during her time as a working royal and now with her business. “One of Meghan’s biggest problems when she lived at Kensington Palace was that she believed that staff should jump when they’re told to jump. She doesn’t have the ultra-polite old-fashioned English habit of asking staff if they would mind ordering a pizza or ringing for a car or organizing a lunch,” Quinn told The Mirror.
He added, “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.”
Despite the challenges, Meghan’s brand has ambitious plans. Trademark applications filed for American Riviera Orchard include a wide range of products, from home decor and kitchen items like decanters, napkin rings, cutlery, table linens, placemats, and cookbooks, to various edible goods such as “jellies, jams, marmalades, fruit preserves, vegetable-based spreads, legume-based spreads, nut-based spreads, garlic-based spreads, sesame-based spreads, dairy-based spreads, nut butters, and fruit butters.”
Additionally, Meghan plans to compete in the pet food market, selling dog food and treats. This puts her in direct competition with Kate Middleton’s brother, James Middleton, who founded James & Ella, a company named after his spaniel who died in 2023. James’s company sells raw and cold-pressed dog food and air-dried treats.
As Meghan continues to navigate the challenges of launching her lifestyle brand, her fans eagerly await the full range of products and the success of American Riviera Orchard.