Meghan Markle and King Charles ‘petty rivalry’ rumours dismissed as ‘beneath’ monarch /dn

Rumours King Charles is competing with Meghan Markle’s lifestyle brand American Riviera Orchard have been branded as ‘nonsense’ by Jennie Bond

Meghan Markle and King Charles both have products to sell (Image: Getty Images)

Meghan Markle’s venture into the homeware market, with offerings such as bespoke jams and dog treats, has been causing quite a stir of late.

Rumours are swirling that Meghan is seeking an endorsement from King Charles for her lifestyle brand American Riviera Orchard. An insider revealed to OK! Magazine’s US edition that the Duchess of Sussex is “looking for support wherever she can get it.”

They added: “Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice are at the top of her list, but she is shooting even higher and would love to get King Charles to give his stamp of approval.”

Harry and Meghan fled to the US (Image: Getty Images)

This speculation arises amidst whispers of potential competition between the Royals, known for marketing similar home and gift items, and Meghan’s new enterprise. Despite King Charles’ Highgrove residence offering high-end organic delights like jams and honey, any notion of rivalry seems beneath Royal concern, says former BBC Royal correspondent Jennie Bond.

Jennie told OK!: “I absolutely refuse to buy into suggestions of a petty rivalry between Meghan’s products and the release of new products from the Highgrove estate,” She further added, “Highgrove has been coming up with new products for years now. The marketing might have become more sophisticated over time, but there has always been publicity about the organic produce from the farm and gardens.”

“I really don’t think that Charles or his marketing people would sink so low as to try to deliberately compete with or scupper Meghan and her team. Why would Charles want to make things worse than they already are? So I think it’s a load of old nonsense and would be beneath him.”

Meghan Markle is going her own way (Image: Getty Images)

Meghan Markle’s venture into the artisan jam market with her American Riviera Orchard lifestyle brand has caused quite a stir in Royal circles, with insiders reportedly breathing a sigh of relief, according to experts. The Duchess of Sussex’s latest business endeavour is viewed as a welcome departure from the much-anticipated “tell-all” book that had been eagerly awaited by Royal followers.

Emma Clifton, a journalist at Australian Women’s Weekly, suggested that this shift towards a more domestic enterprise could be seen as positive news for the Royals. She stated: “Considering how much anticipation there was for Meghan’s supposed ‘tell-all-novel’, her pivot into domestic goddess should surely mean there are a few sighs of relief around the palace…for now.”

Celebrity PR expert Waylon Tate spoke to Australian Women’s Weekly about Meghan’s unique approach to branding her new venture.

Commenting on the issue, Tate said: “What I’ve seen so far, although she’s been pretty clandestine about it – everything surrounding this new brand, is that it’s Meghan and it’s Meghan alone. You can even see it on Instagram. It’s not Meghan and Harry – it’s by Meghan,” This signalled an important moment: “This is the emancipation of Meghan. It’s her saying, ‘I’m a smart, savvy businesswoman. And here’s an introduction to my family on my terms’.”