Martha Stewart’s Straightforward 14 Words of Advice for Meghan Markle and American Riviera Orchard: ‘That’s What It’s All About’
Martha Stewart has some very simple advice for Meghan Markle as she embarks on her latest project, a lifestyle brand. She suggests the Duchess of Sussex focuses on the products and customers for American Riviera Orchard, which is, after all, “what it’s all about.”
Martha Stewart’s advice for Meghan: ‘Produce good products’
Following Meghan’s American Riviera Orchard announcement (more on that later), Stewart, 82, shared her advice for the British royal. Speaking to Extra’s Billy Bush at the Nassau Paradise Island Wine & Food Festival in the Bahamas, Stewart shared she’s “flattered” Meghan looks up to her in the lifestyle space.
“I just read that today. I’m flattered.” Stewart replied with a laugh when Bush shared that Meghan “wants to become a brand like Martha Stewart.”
As for Stewart’s advice for the former Suits star: “Produce good products that work and will help the homemaker have a nicer life. That’s what it’s all about.”
Stewart has an estimated net worth of $400 million and has had an extensive line of homeware goods for decades in addition to TV programs.
Meghan could be headed for a similar future with American Riviera Orchard tapped to bring her back to the small screen for a cooking show and a wide range of products, per the brand’s trademark filing.
Meghan’s also been advised to open up for success in the lifestyle space
Another element required to make American Riviera Orchard successful is authenticity from Meghan. As Rachel Richardson, a writer for the “Highly Flammable” Substack newsletter and former Snapchat executive, told Page Six, opening up similar to Martha Stewart, Joanna Gaines, and Gwyneth Paltrow is “key.”
“The reason Martha, Joanna, and Gwyneth have crushed it is because they’ve let viewers into their most private spaces and shared their biggest secrets,” Richardson said. “Authenticity is key in the lifestyle arena.”
“Those that succeed tend to be willing to share their whole lives,” she added. “Think about it — what do we not know about Gwyneth Paltrow?”
Meghan, she noted, “let cameras capture some aspects of her private life,” in the 2021 Oprah interview and Netflix’s Harry & Meghan. However, to be successful, “she’ll have to be prepared to swing the door all the way open.”
Meghan unveiled her new American Riviera Orchard lifestyle brand on Instagram
On March 14, 2024, Meghan shared a glimpse of her lifestyle brand with the world. Not through an official statement but an Instagram account and short video.
American Riviera Orchard’s official Instagram account went live with a photo grid of the brand’s name — a reported nod to Meghan’s life in Montecito, California — in calligraphy, something of a trademark for the 42-year-old.
A bio reading, “by Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex,” confirmed her involvement. Then there’s the teaser video to introduce the lifestyle brand.
Posted to American Rivieria’s Instagram Stories, it showed Meghan arranging flowers, cooking, and standing in a gown as Nancy Wilson’s “I Wish You Love” played. Additionally, a link to the brand’s website, americanriviera.com, brought visitors to a waitlist sign-up.
At the time of writing, Meghan’s lifestyle brand doesn’t have an official launch date. However, some royal watchers are hopeful April 7, 2024, will be the big day. The reason is that it’s the day she shut down her previous lifestyle blog, The Tig, in 2019.
