RIGHT ROYAL REBRAND
Meghan & Harry make TWO announcements on day of Diana event… as Duke shares jokey vid after wife’s new business launched
Plus what we can expect from Meg's new lifestyle brand
HARRY and Meghan made two announcements just hours before Prince William paid tribute to Diana in a heartfelt speech last night.
Meghan unveiled her new lifestyle brand "American Riviera Orchard" in a glitzy Instagram post at 5pm yesterday.
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Less than two hours later, William took to the stage at the Diana Legacy Awards, paying tribute to his mother.
The Sussexes made their second announcement not long after William left the stage, revealing the winner of their $100,000 Digital Civil Rights Award.
Later that night - once William had left the event - Prince Harry quizzed award winners in a "casual" video chat.
The event took place just hours after Meghan's newest business venture "flogging homeware and jam" launched.
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MEG'S NEW VENTURE
A mysterious new Instagram account for 'American Riviera Orchard' appeared online on March 14, 2024.
The page's biography says the brand is "by Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex" and visitors are linked to a website where they can join a mailing list.
And now industry insiders have told that the site will focus on home, food, garden and lifestyle goods.
The source said: "She's been working on this for over a year and it's all the things that are close to her heart — all the things she's passionate about."
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Another insider told the Mail: "It’s a lifestyle and cooking brand called American Riviera Orchard.
"The brand is meant to coincide with the launch of a new cookery show for Netflix.
"Meghan will be making, and selling, products such as jams. And at some point there will be a book and blog etc."
Harry & Meghan pay surprise visit to family of teacher killed in Uvalde school shooting to join birthday celebrations
The Sussexes made another announcement while William was still at the event - revealing the winner of their Digital Civil Rights Award.
The $100,000 award was launched in a partnership between the couple's Archewell Foundation and the NAACP.
In his video chat with youngsters, Harry said: "Thank you, very much, for inspiring so many others.
"And at the same time protecting my mother’s legacy - I really appreciate that.
"And, again, well done on this fantastic group of individuals."
THE TIG 2.0
Before getting engaged to Prince Harry, the Suits actress had her lifestyle blog The Tig but this was closed down when she got engaged in 2017.
The Tig, named after her favourite wine Tignanello, was seen as something as a rival to Gwyneth Paltrow's £200million Goop, which offers similar wellness and "conscious living" content.
She previously described it as a "passion project" which "evolved into an amazing community of inspiration, support, fun and frivolity".
Since stepping down as senior royals, the couple have produced a podcast, Netflix documentary and memoir, as well as several high-profile interviews between them.
These are said to have made them millions of dollars.
Speaking in the docuseries Harry & Meghan, the mum-of-two said of the blog: "It wasn't just a hobby, it became a really successful business.
"I've never really been the type of person to do only one thing. I guess that's how my website was born.
"There was fashion, tons of food, and travel - all the things that I loved."
Rumours emerged in March last year that Meghan was going to relaunch the blog.
Meghan also ventured into the world of children's books with the launch of The Bench in June 2021.
Inside Meghan's 34-page book The Bench, the illustrations give a fresh glimpse into the Sussexes' "authentic" life at their LA home - featuring their then-newborn daughter.
The publication was a commercial success with it becoming a number one bestseller on Amazon's chart.
Meghan dedicated her book to the "man and boy who make my heart go pump-pump" in a sweet note for her husband Prince Harry and son Archie.
I've never really been the type of person to do only one thing
Meghan Markle
The mum was "inspired" to write the book after originally creating a poem for Harry's first Father's Day.
The royal couple have also been reported to be planning an Oprah-style media empire after registering a series of new entertainment businesses.
A leading royal commentator says the couple "want to earn loads more money" after they filed 11 companies in tax haven Delaware - seven of which are linked to showbiz ventures.
They appear to have names which are meaningful to the couple, with one – Cloverdale Inc – bearing the same name as the street that the Duchess lived on with her mother in Los Angeles when she was young.
Both Cloverdale and a second company, Riversoul Productions Inc, are set up explicitly in the “entertainment” industry, and join companies Hampshire LLC, Bridgemont LLC and IPHW LLC.
The couple are already using the name Archewell Productions for their Netflix and Spotify deals.
DIANA AWARD
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William attended the event at the Science Museum in London on Thursday night in person, where he gave a speech to mark the charity's 25th anniversary.
Taking to the stage to AC/DC's song Thunderstruck, he told the audience that he and his wife, the Princess of Wales, have sought to focus on Diana's legacy through their work.
Diana died in a car crash in Paris in 1997 when both William and Harry were still young boys.
"This evening's Legacy Award is particularly special as it marks the 25th anniversary year of The Diana Award, a charity set up to reflect my mother's belief that young people can change the world," he said.
"I know that she would have been honoured to see a charity in her name doing such inspirational work to uplift young people from all corners of the globe."
He said that his mother taught him that "everyone in need deserves a supporting hand in life".
"She taught me that everyone has the potential to give something back; that everyone in need deserves a supporting hand in life," he said.
"That legacy is something that both Catherine and I have sought to focus on through our work, as have the 50,000 young people who have received a Diana Award over the past 25 years.
"I am so proud to see this belief of my mother's manifested in the amazing young people receiving the Legacy Award tonight."
William also addressed his walk-on song choice saying "I like AC/DC, that's George's song."
They are driven by courage, compassion and commitment - qualities shared by my mother
Prince William
After the prince left, Chiara Riyanti Hutapea Zhang, 18, who won an award for her charity Cases 4 Care's work with undocumented children, said that meeting him was "like a dream come true".
"He was really nice and welcoming," she said.
She said that winning the award was "a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity" but it also felt like "the beginning of something new".
Joel Nkeonye Mordi, 26, who won an award for founding an LGBT+ youth charity in Nigeria, said that it was "such a huge honour".
He added: "It's a call to action."
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The social media accounts for the Prince and Princess of Wales also posted a flurry of pictures and videos from the event.
They wrote: "Celebrating 25 years of The @DianaAward - one of the most prestigious accolades for young people committed to social action."
William's heartfelt tribute to Diana in full
I'm delighted to be here today to recognise the transformational achievements of twenty exceptional young people from across the world.
Each and every one of their stories - which you will hear shortly - are testament to their character, passion and determination to make a lasting and meaningful difference to the lives of others.
The paths taken by these young people have not always been easy. Many have overcome adversity and prejudice, but they are driven by courage, compassion and commitment - qualities shared by my mother.
Their stories remind us of the importance of organisations like The Diana Award. I've seen on many occasions over the years how this charity empowers and mobilises young people to take action and make the changes they want to see in their communities and the world around them.
Over the next two years, The Diana Award, alongside many of their partners here today, will equip these young people with the skills to have an even bigger impact. I am excited to see what they can do together.
This evening's Legacy Award is particularly special as it marks the 25th anniversary year of The Diana Award - a charity set up to reflect my mother's belief that young people can change the world.
I know that she would have been honoured to see a charity in her name doing such inspirational work to uplift young people from all corners of the globe.
She taught me that everyone has the potential to give something back; that everyone in need deserves a supporting hand in life.
That legacy is something that both Catherine and I have sought to focus on through our work, as have the 50,000 young people who have received a Diana Award over the past 25 years.
I am so proud to see this belief of my mother's manifested in the amazing young people receiving the Legacy Award tonight.
Thank you.
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