Meghan Markle returns to social media to introduce her latest venture, American Riviera Orchard

Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, has made a grand return to Instagram, reactivating her account to unveil her new business venture, the American Riviera Orchard. Since deactivating her personal account in 2018, this marks her first foray back into the social media landscape.

The announcement coincided with her appearance at the 2024 SXSW festival in Austin, where she spoke on the “Breaking Barriers, Shaping Narratives: How Women Lead On and Off the Screen” panel. The Duchess’s Instagram bio confirms her direct involvement with the American Riviera Orchard, established this year, showcasing images of the brand’s logo and Meghan engaging in homely activities such as picking flowers and cooking.

While the Instagram page and the company’s website remain tight-lipped about specific offerings, a delve into public trademark records reveals the brand’s scope. The American Riviera Orchard is listed to offer an array of retail items including jams, preserves, butters, tablewares, cutlery, tablecloths, cookbooks, and digital recipe content. The records point to an LLC with connections to Richard Genow, Meghan’s attorney, hinting at the legal groundwork supporting this venture.

This business launch represents a significant step for Meghan, who had previously closed down her lifestyle site, The Tig, ahead of her marriage to Prince Harry in 2018. Her professional journey before joining the Royal Family was marked by her role as Rachel Zane on the drama series “Suits,” from which she departed the same year.

“Suits” has seen a resurgence in popularity following its addition to Netflix, something Meghan has described as “wild.” With NBC greenlighting “Suits: LA,” a spinoff from the original series, speculation about the original cast’s involvement, including Meghan’s, has sparked curiosity among fans.