Meghan no longer blogs about her life on her once deeply popular 'The Tig' blog - with the Duchess of Sussex since setting up a new media brand titled American Riviera Orchard
Meghan Markle sent fans of the Sussexes into a frenzy as she lauched her new business venture, American Riviera Orchard, earlier this year.
Meghan unvelived the website in March, with an accompnaying Instagram account. It was a foray back into the world of social media after she and Harry quit as working royals four years ago. Sadly, the Duchess of Sussex no longer provides regular updates on her much-loved blog ‘The Tig’, which she had to stop due to media coverage.
American Riviera Orchard now has over 600,000 followers on Instagram, but there has not been a single post since March 14. Reports indicate the brand is still awaiting its official launch and an insider informed Page Six that Meghan hopes to sell products that are "close to her heart" one day.
Meghan used to regularly give people insight to her thoughts on the issues that were important to her, including feminism, travel, the arts, design and wellness. The blog was even named after her favourite wine, Tiganello. In some of her most memorable posts, Meghan opened up about her younger years before she shot to international fame - and in another, she made a confession about struggling to give up "unladylike habits".
In a twist of fate, Meghan also blogged about the Prince and Princess of Wales's wedding, writing about "the pomp" surrounding William and Kate's big day - seven years before her own royal wedding. But it all came to an upsetting and abrupt end in 2017 just before Meghan committed her life to Harry when they became engaged.
The former Suits actress reportedly deleted The Tig to minimise the level of media scrutiny ahead of her wedding to Harry in 2018. It was believed a self-written blog was likely to only exacerbate attention and she allegedly feared that The Tig would be exploited, according to Omid Scobie and Carolyn Durand in the book Finding Freedom.
"It wasn't so much that her blog was criticised as it was used to fuel false speculation about her personal life with the prince," they wrote. "If she and Harry weren’t seen in three days, someone at a gossip blog would pull up her recipe for acai bowls and write a story that that was what she was serving her new man. Or her post about the benefits of green juice: Was this the diet she was making Harry follow?"
After deciding to close the website Meghan left a tear-jerking final post, which is the only one currently remaining on the site, titled "Farewell, Darling". Addressed to "all my Tig friends", it reads: "After close to three beautiful years on this adventure with you, it's time to say goodbye to The Tig. What began as a passion project (my little engine that could) evolved into an amazing community of inspiration, support, fun and frivolity. You've made my days brighter and filled this experience with so much joy.
"Keep finding those Tig moments of discovery, keep laughing and taking risks, and keep being 'the change you wish to see in the world.' Above all, don't ever forget your worth - as I've told you time and time again: you, my sweet friend, you are enough." Meghan ended her statement with the words: "Thank you for everything. Xx"
In March, a vintage-style video of Meghan cooking and arranging white hydrangeas and roses was posted to the new American Riviera Orchard Instagram account. The brief video is set to Nancy Wilson’s I Wish You Love and closes with the brand’s logo, American Riviera Orchard, written in fine gold script above the word Montecito – a celebrity enclave near Santa Barbara in California where the Duke and Duchess live.
Little information has been released about American Riviera Orchard but a trademark application filed on February 2 this year shows the company wishes to offer downloadable and printed recipe books, table wear, textiles, and jams and marmalades, according to the United States Patent and Trademark Office website. The account had 100,000 followers just three hours after its first post.
A version of this article was originally published on March 16, 2024.
