Harry and Meghan have reached out to Prince William and Kate following her shock cancer diagnosis.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are said to have had ‘private’ contact with the Prince and Princess of Wales last night.

It is not clear whether the contact was a phone call, a video call or a series of messages of support. It is not known whether Harry would fly back to Britain.

Last night it was also claimed in the United States that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex only learned about Kate’s condition at the same time the world heard the news.

In addition, sources also told the New York Post that the couple had “no idea” about Kate’s illness.

The contact between the two brothers was revealed by ITV Royal Editor Chris Ship.

The 39-year-old Duke of Sussex has previously described Kate as the ‘big sister I never had’ when she got engaged to William 11 years ago.

However, his relationship with the Prince and Princess of Wales has broken down following the bitter aftermath of Megxit.

Kate last met Harry after the Queen’s death in September 2022, when they went on a walk around Windsor with their husbands.

The Princess of Wales announced her diagnosis in a video message yesterday, explaining that the cancer was discovered after her abdominal surgery.

She said: ‘The operation was successful but tests after the operation revealed cancer was present.

‘You can imagine that this took time. It took me time to recover from major surgery before I could start my treatment.

‘But most importantly, it has taken us time to explain everything to George, Charlotte and Louis in a way that suits them and to reassure them that I will be fine.’

Hours after the news, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex released a short statement wishing the Princess of Wales and her family “health and healing.”

The couple said they hoped Kate and her family could “do this privately and in peace.”

Last month, Harry returned to Britain after taking an emergency flight from the US to visit the king following his cancer diagnosis.

The Duke cleared his diary and made the trip alone, leaving Meghan and their children Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet at home in California.

But there was no reconciliation between Harry and his brother, the Prince of Wales, during the visit, after the duke spent about 45 minutes at Clarence House to see Charles.

He last appeared alongside the Windsors and Waleses at the king’s coronation, but immediately afterwards rushed home to celebrate his son’s fourth birthday.

Since stepping down as working royals in 2020 and moving to California with their family, the Sussexes have made accusations and grievances against the monarchy and members of Harry’s family.

The Duke’s allegations against his family seemed unrelenting in the wake of Megxit with his interview with Oprah and, in the months after the Queen’s death, his Netflix documentary and memoir Spare.

There were allegations of racism regarding Archie’s skin color before he was born – with the comments ultimately said to have come from two senior royals – and it is claimed that Kensington Palace lied to protect William over reports that he was Harry would have bullied from the royal family.

The Duke also accused William of physically attacking him and throwing him into a dog litter box after Meghan, teasing him about his panic attacks and encouraging him, along with Kate, to wear a Nazi uniform to a fancy dress party.

While Charles and Harry are said to still talk to each other, William has reportedly not been in contact with his brother for quite some time.

By Richard Eden for The Daily Mail

Published: 7:19 PM EDT, March 22, 2024 | Updated: 7:25 PM EDT, March 22, 2024

• Harry and Meghan said they wish Kate and William “health, healing and privacy.”
• Princess of Wales announced her diagnosis today in a video message

By Jen Smith for Dailymail.Com

Published: 4:40 PM EDT, March 22, 2024 | Updated: 4:47 PM EDT, March 22, 2024

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s supporter Christopher Bouzy has doubled down on a bizarre conspiracy theory about the Princess of Wales, claiming that she hasn’t been seen in public since Christmas Day.

The Tech CEO, 48, from New York, who appeared in the Sussexes’ Netflix documentary, took to X, formerly Twitter, to share his doubts about the recent sighting of Kate Middleton and Prince William shopping at a farm shop in Windsor.

‘Serious question: Has any reporter taken the time to go to Windsor Farm and ask the staff if William and Kate were there over the weekend? Besides the man who was paid for the video, has anyone else gone on the record about seeing William and Kate at the farm?,’ he wrote.

He added in a second tweet: ‘So, let me see if I understand this correctly. Kate’s video is one of the biggest stories of 2024, and not a single person who works at the farm/store has gone on the record about seeing William and Kate? So, just some random guy is the primary source of the story? Sounds legit.’

Earlier this week, he shared a compilation of clips of the royal couple walking to compare it to their recent sighting at the Windsor Farm Shop on Saturday. 

He claims the clips show that the video of two people walking in Windsor isn’t the royal couple, joining a chorus of outlandish conspiracy theorists online.

‘I’ve compiled a few older videos of William and Kate walking together, as well as the recent video from Windsor Farm. Take a look and decide for yourself if it’s Kate or not. In my opinion, we still haven’t seen Kate in public,’ he wrote on X.

Many people breathed a sigh of relief when they saw ‘happy, relaxed and healthy’ Kate smiling as she briskly walked away from the store holding onto a full shopping bag on Saturday.

But others on social media have continued to push crazed claims – including that the woman in the video was not the royal but in fact a body double. 

Mr Bouzy appeared in Harry and Meghan’s Netflix doc after his company BotSentinel issued a report saying the couple was on the receiving end of millions of trolls.

But Mr Bouzy, who previously tweeted that he thought that the Prince and Princess of Wales were ageing in ‘banana years’, has been accused of being a troll himself over a series of nasty posts.

In April 2023, he said the portrait released to mark what would have been Queen Elizabeth’s 97th birthday was photoshopped.

The image, which shows the late monarch posing with eight of her 12 great-grandchildren and two of her grandchidren at Balmoral, was taken just weeks before her death by the Princess of Wales.

This week, global picture agency Getty Images said the heartwarming image was ‘digitally enhanced at source’ having undertaken a review following the recent fallout from the Princess of Wales editing a Mother’s Day photo of herself with her three children.

He described the photograph as ‘beautiful’ on X.

Calling on people to ‘stop criticising’ snap, he added: ‘Yes, they Photoshopped it, and so what? It isn’t easy to get the perfect photo with 10 children. It appears they took multiple shots and then edited the photo to make it perfect. I would’ve done the same.’

In a later tweet about the snap, which was shared on the official social media accounts of The Prince and Princess of Wales, he wrote: ‘You can literally see where two sides of the sofa were spliced together, and there are pixels on the face that were not properly edited.

‘As I stated in my original tweet, I don’t see anything wrong with it. But to claim it’s not Photoshopped is false. It’s been edited.’

He also added: ‘Also, the Queen was probably exhausted and didn’t want to sit through a long photoshoot.’

The late monarch appeared in her element with Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor, James, Earl of Wessex, Lena Tindall, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, Isla Phillips, Prince Louis, Mia Tindall, Lucas Tindall and Savannah Phillips.

Mr Bouzy’s claims come as the shopper who filmed the royal’s first public appearance since undergoing abdominal surgery has slammed cruel conspiracy theory trolls as ‘delusional’.

Nelson Silva, 40, said he saw the Princess of Wales ‘with his own eyes’ on Saturday as she popped down to her local farm shop.

BBC sports reporter Sonja McLaughlan appeared to be amongst those fuelling the bizarre suggestion when she told her followers on X that it was ‘obviously not Kate’ in the clip. In a now deleted tweet, she even suggested the heir to the throne could have been replaced by an actor. 

Speaking for the first time since he encountered the Princess of Wales in the meat section of the farm shop, Mr Silva told the Sun: ‘I’m not so much shocked that these comments have continued, I’m just confused how exactly they can continue.

‘This is a video clearly showing her and William. I saw them with my own eyes. It was a completely relaxed situation.

‘What more do you need to lay off her? I thought after this was released they’d go quiet. But these people are so invested in the drama now.’ 

The father, who ran into the royals around lunchtime on Saturday at the Windsor Farm Shop, believed releasing the footage would put an abrupt end to the wild rumours surrounding Kate’s health but fears it did the opposite.

After the clip emerged people suggested Kate was too tall in the video for it to be her, while another crazy theory claimed the footage had been recorded in December because ‘Christmas decorations’ were in the background.

In under 24 hours the rumours about body doubles gained more than 12 millions views on X and more than 11 million on TikTok. 

The Windsor local said he was ‘shocked’ and ‘confused’ as to why the conspiracy theories have continued. He said he saw the future King and Queen with his own eyes and ‘it was a completely relaxed situation’. 

‘Even famous people are guilty,’ Mr Silva added. ‘People with a large platform online — they can’t admit they are wrong now because they look so delusional.’ 

He called for those pushing claims online to ‘lay off’ the Princess and stop plugging their baseless ‘rumours and lies’.

The father, who lives in the town with his wife and daughter, had recorded the couple to send back to his family Portugal.

He first saw Will and Kate inside the store, where they had been ‘talking to staff and laughing’, before watching them walk back into some fields to head towards their home Adelaide Cottage.

Kate’s weekend appearance marked the first time she had been seen out and about in public since undergoing planned abdominal surgery in January.

Despite Kensington Palace setting out a clear timeline for the Princess’ recovery – with her return to the public spotlight expected after the Easter Holidays conclude – online trolls have sparked bizarre theories. 

Baseless and hurtful conspiracy theories being spread about her online included that she is dead, has been replaced by a body double or the Wales’ marriage is in trouble. 

One royal source told the Telegraph: ‘Finally everyone can calm down’.

Yet BBC freelance reporter Ms McLaughlan came under fire for appearing to fan the flames of conspiracy theorists. 

Ms McLaughlan wrote: ‘Disturbing that newspapers like The Times are reporting this as fact. Headline ‘Kate seen in public for the first time’ when it’s clearly not her. As someone has said. Could be a couple of lookalikes making mischief.’ 

Commenting on a video which compared the Princess in the footage to other past photos of herself, she added: ‘It’s so obviously not Kate. Some newspaper are reporting it as fact. But it’s not her. No conspiracy theorist but all very odd.’

The BBC declined to comment on the matter.

The body double claims led Britain’s ‘most realistic’ Kate Middleton lookalike to shut down the ‘crazy’ conspiracy theories that it is her in the farm shop video instead of the real Princess of Wales. 

Heidi Agan, 43, who has made an income from impersonating the royal for more than a decade, said she ‘100 per cent’ believes it is Kate and William in the footage.

‘There has obviously been some speculation about whether it was Kate and William in that footage and stills,’ she told The Mirror.

‘In fact, my own social media has gone crazy as people think it is me, but I know it is not. I was at work at the time so I know that is not me. I 100 per cent believe that it is Kate Middleton and William in that video.’

‘So she is alive, and we can be sure about it. It has all gone too far now,’ she added.

With King Charles undergoing treatment for an unspecified form of cancer and the Princess of Wales still recovering from abdominal surgery, half of the eldest members of the royal family are out of action.

So what better time for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to launch the latest phase of their apparent plan to become the new, more glamorous royal family across the pond?

In a slick Instagram video, Meghan unveiled her new lifestyle and cooking brand, American Riviera Orchard. The former actress was busy in a rustic-looking kitchen in the video, which was posted online a day after I contacted her office for comment on her plans. American Riviera Orchard will focus on home, garden, food and lifestyle items.

Meghan and her team decided to post the video even though the coverage it would generate would likely overshadow a major appearance by Prince Harry that same evening.

Via video link from the US, he spoke at an awards ceremony for the Diana Trust, an esteemed charity dedicated to promoting his late mother’s legacy. Prince William attended the event in person, although he made a point of leaving before his brother’s face appeared on a video screen.

Although American Riviera Orchard is primarily Meghan’s venture, Harry, I’m told, will join his wife for a series of “royal” public appearances in the coming days and weeks.

But when the Duchess was seen arranging flowers and whipping something in a mixing bowl in her promotional video, Harry caused trouble with an intriguing new friend. I revealed on Saturday in my social diary, Eden Confidential, that the Duke, 39, enjoyed a ski holiday last week with Corey Gamble, 43, a businessman who happens to be the partner of Kris Jenner, the 68-year-old mother of reality TV stars. US royalty, Kim, Kourtney and Khloe Kardashian. She also has two daughters, Kendall and Kylie Jenner, who have become super-rich stars with the help of their mother as a manager, or “momanger,” as she is known.

On the slopes with Harry and Corey at Aspen, America’s fanciest ski resort, were other friends, including Whitney Wolfe Herd, 34, who became the world’s youngest female billionaire when she took her online dating company Bumble public in 2021, and Whitney’s husband, Michael, whom she first met during a ski trip to the resort.

Michael Herd, a Texas oil heir, owns the private jet that flew Harry and Meghan to Las Vegas last November to see their Californian neighbor, pop star Katy Perry, in concert.

Harry’s previously unknown friendship with Kris Jenner’s boyfriend is fascinating. Meghan’s mother, Doria Ragland, is known to be pals with Jenner. I’m told Harry and Gamble “really hit it off.” They can certainly compare notes on having ambitious other halves.

And while the Kardashian clan can’t give tips on royal behavior, there’s no doubt they can give advice on making money.

However, before Gamble had time to give a full debrief about his holiday with the King’s youngest son, Kim Kardashian poked fun at the Princess of Wales.

Amid speculation about Kate’s whereabouts, Kim posted a series of photos of herself on Instagram to her 364 million followers, along with the caption, “On our way to find Kate.” The post added fuel to the fire of often bizarre and cruel conspiracy theories about the princess and her current condition.

While Harry and Meghan’s new show business friends may help them make a fortune, they could spell trouble for the real royal family.

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The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were so protective of their children’s “privacy” that they refused to even name the godparents of their son, Prince Archie.

So it’s fascinating to discover that Archie and his sister, Princess Lilibet, have been the subject of a very glamorous photo shoot by one of Meghan’s favorite photographers.

I hear New York-based Jake Rosenberg flew to California earlier this month, where he took a series of photos of Meghan alone, cooking, and of her with the kids.

The photo shoot at Prince Harry and Meghan’s Montecito mansion coincided with the launch of Meghan’s lifestyle and cooking brand, American Riviera Orchard.

The venture was unveiled last week in a glitzy Instagram video, which showed Meghan busying herself in a rustic-looking kitchen. The video was posted a day after I contacted Meghan’s office for comment on her plans. American Riviera Orchard will focus on home, garden, food and lifestyle items.

Rosenberg, who is from Toronto, Canada, where Meghan spent six years while filming the television legal drama Suits, has photographed the duchess many times. On his website, he says that “his lens has captured the radiance of talent like Meghan Markle, Oprah Winfrey, Priyanka Chopra, Cindy Crawford, David Beckham and Michael B. Jordan, revealing their authentic personas through his vivid images.”

Very few photos of Archie, who turns five in May, and Lily, two, have been released by their parents. They did. however, appear in Netflix’s tasteless documentary series about the couple.

A friend of Meghan’s confirmed the photoshoot took place, but insisted they were “portraits for the family.” The friend tells me, “I wouldn’t associate that with the company.”

Rosenberg could not be reached for comment.

King’s goddaughter parties with her Argentinian boyfriend

Princess Maria Olympia of Greece and Denmark, the goddaughter of King Charles, surprised friends and family when she split from Peregrine Pearson, the son and heir of Viscount Cowdray, last year.

He has since entered into a new relationship with Game Of Thrones star Sophie Turner, who is currently in a divorce battle with American pop singer Joe Jonas.

Meanwhile, it seems Olympia, 27, has no shortage of male admirers.

At a party in London this week she was joined by Argentinian businessman Martin Pacanowski.

The couple was photographed together arm in arm on the red carpet.

“Martin and Olympia have known each other for a long time and get along very well,” a friend tells me.

She was the queen of the Brits and scooped a record six awards at this year’s ceremony, but pop star Raye clearly wants to keep her feet on the ground.

Figures from the performing arts company she uses to channel her income show that the 26-year-old singer enjoyed a relatively modest pay package of £50,000 last year.

Hello Rat Ltd accounts report that a dividend of £50,000 was paid to Raye, real name Rachel Keen, in the 12 months to the end of March last year. The company had assets of over £100,000.

Liz Truss is making modest progress

Tony Blair reportedly received a £4.6 million advance for his memoirs, but it’s a different story for some other former prime ministers.

Liz Truss has just reported to the MPs’ Register of Financial Interests that Biteback Publishing has received her an advance of £1,512 for her book Ten Years To Save The West, due out next month.

Regnery, the conservative publisher who is publishing her book in the US, is slightly more confident about the prospects and gives her an advance of £6,000.

King Charles has had a challenging first year as monarch, but he is determined to still celebrate the first anniversary of his coronation.

I hear his Gloucestershire retreat, Highgrove, is hosting a ‘red, white and blue ball’ next month.

An advertisement promises a ‘sophisticated evening of elegance, glamor and excitement’, including canapés followed by a candlelit dinner with a ‘luxurious three-course meal, expertly paired with Highgrove’s finest organic wines and live music all night long’.

Tickets cost a suitably princely £200 each.

Rose at 40 has lost none of her prime

Although its patroness, the Princess of Wales, was conspicuous by her absence, the National Portrait Gallery still attracted an impressive number of guests to the Portrait Gala on Tuesday evening.

The Marquess of Cholmondeley and his wife Rose were among the guests, including Princess Alexandra’s granddaughter, Flora Ogilvy.

Rose, who celebrated her milestone 40th birthday this weekend, hopes her friend Princess Catherine will be dancing again soon. Last summer I revealed that Catherine had attended her first ‘rave’ at the Houghton Festival on the Cholmondeleys’ estate in Norfolk.

The late Earl leaves £500,000 to Eton

Remarkably, considering he was 6ft tall, his shoes were a small size 6. But the 8th Earl Cadogan, who died last year aged 86, remained nimble on his feet to the end – proverbially at least .

His just-published will shows that Charles Cadogan, who succeeded to the earldom after his father’s death in 1997, left £6.5 million. That’s just a fraction of the family fortune, which, based on its ownership of 93 hectares of land in London’s Chelsea, is conservatively estimated at £5.5 billion.

The thrice-married Cadogan, who spoke nobly in favor of women who liked to sunbathe topless in the gardens owned by his Cadogan Estates, donated £500,000 to his old school, Eton.

Since erupting into public consciousness in late 2016 when her romance with Prince Harry became ­public, Meghan Markle has insisted on attaching two epithets to her name — humanitarian and feminist.

Back when she was a working member of the British Royal Family, this was how the biography on the institution’s web page — at her insistence — described her, and how she has determinedly portrayed herself since.

Now, though, hot on the heels of the ­couple’s philanthropic relaunch with the ­sussex.com website, comes Meghan’s own passion project.

And — never mind the good works and the feminism — it appears that it is as a homemaker that Meghan now seeks to shine.

Via the rather clumsily named American Riviera Orchard, she will be selling everything from spoons and calligraphy pens, to dog beds and bird-feeders, as well as nut butters and jams.

Indeed, when one reads the full list of wares the Duchess of Sussex is ­potentially seeking to sell, it’s difficult to avoid the conclusion that this new company ­heralds nothing less than the birth of Meghan PLC: an all-encompassing lifestyle brand for those who are keen to imitate her trademark glossy ‘stealth wealth’ look.

Indeed, filings at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office mention a very broad range of goods which might be sold by her, ranging from gardening forks and string lights, branded tote bags, blankets, cushions, yoga mats, salsas, spices, chutneys and dog-collars.

Other proposed items for sale include servingware, decanters, tea and coffee cups, dinner services, matchbox holders, stationery of all kinds and cookbooks, both online and in print.

Described as ‘Tig 2.0’ it does appear to take up where her pre‑Harry blog, The Tig, left off and looks to aim to compete with Martha Stewart, the American billionaire cooking, crafts and gardening guru who rules the scene.

But while The Tig, the influencer brand Meghan created, had a larky, single girl vibe and was all about exotic mini-breaks, afternoons filled with rosé wine and high heels, her new project is very much the ‘mom’ version.

What, truly, could be less carefree than a napkin ring, guest book or table place card-holder, all of which speak to a distinctly studied kind of living? These are all items which she is seeking to sell under the trademark.

An application at the U.S. ­Patent and Trademark Office shows that American Riviera Orchard may even one day open a shop, although sources say initially this will be an Instagram and website business.

It — the Instagram account, website and online shop — will go live imminently. Probably early in April. What can we expect?

First, there will be more filmed footage, which has been captured at the Montecito home she shares with Harry and their children Archie and Lilibet.

In the brief video released so far, Meghan has been seen cooking, wearing a white tank top, arranging roses and wafting around her garden in a black ballgown.

It’s thought their trusted friend Terry Wood, who ­produced the Oprah special and Meghan’s Archetypes podcasts, is involved in ­filming content for the ­website, which will initially show Meghan cooking and entertaining.

First out of the blocks will be videos which offer some recipes, and American Riviera Orchard will sell a limited range of goods, too. Sources indicate coffee cups and jams will be first.

In terms of food, Meghan’s specialities include roast chicken — following the recipe of the American TV cook Ina Garten, also known as the Barefoot Contessa, which involves basting the skin with ­butter; zucchini pasta sauce, which involves cooking the vegetable for four hours ‘until creamy’; and simple grilled fish tacos.

She’s also a fan of that Californian staple ‘avo’ toast, which she describes as ‘soul-nourishing’ and serves with a sprinkle of feta, chilli flakes and pepitas — a type of pumpkin seed.

Sources indicate that the watchwords for Meghan’s new venture are ‘elevated’ and ‘curated’ — and that the website will offer an oh-so-luxe take on home-making.

Her lifestyle in that famous $14million mansion will be front and centre of her new project. Having watched videos on the website, mere mortals will have the chance to buy expensive cream coffee cups and dream they, too, have married a prince and live in a home with ocean views and 16 bathrooms.

Not only will there be cooking wares approved by Meghan but, in the months to come, a full-on cooking show presented by her will be made for Netflix.

Sources say Meghan will ‘tell the story of her life through her recipes’ — a mouth-watering prospect for a woman as fascinating as she. Might her family and famous friends be included, too?

It would only be natural if they were, and would no doubt work wonders for ratings and sales if she was seen making jam with daughter Lili or whipping up a tasty chicken adobo for friend and neighbour Ellen DeGeneres.

Consultant Rachel Richardson, a former Snapchat executive, said: ‘The reason Martha (Stewart) . . . and Gwyneth ­(Paltrow) have crushed it is because they’ve let viewers into their most private spaces and shared their ­biggest secrets.

‘Authenticity is key in the lifestyle arena, and those that succeed tend to be willing to share their whole lives. Think about it — what do we not know about Gwnyeth Paltrow?

‘In [the Netflix documentary] Harry & Meghan and the Oprah interview, Meghan let cameras capture some aspects of her private life. But to pull off a successful lifestyle show she’ll have to be prepared to swing the door all the way open.’

Hollywood sources tell me that Meghan has been inspired in the venture by three key women: Rachel Jackson, Chrissy Teigen and Camila Alves.

Jackson, a multi-millionaire entrepreneur, started out as a make-up artist before pivoting to run a business — via QVC — selling ‘no make-up’ make-up. Her commercial success has been stellar.

Teigen, wife of singer John ­Legend, and Alves, wife of actor Matthew McConaughey — have both written best-selling cookbooks and put out their own video lifestyle content to some acclaim.

McConaughey, incidentally, shares a financial adviser, Adam Lilling, with Prince Harry.

It’s notable that the owner of the American Riviera Orchard firm is not Harry and Meghan’s existing vehicle Archewell, but a new entity, Mama Knows Best LLC — based in Delaware like the couple’s other companies.

Its postal address is listed as the fifth floor Wilshire Boulevard address of Meghan’s long-term LA-based lawyer Rick Genow.

What to make of this then? The most significant detail, I believe, is that Mama Knows Best is not a part of Archewell.

This means there is clear water between Meghan and Harry’s mutual philanthropic and ­commercial interests, which reside in Archewell, and this solo enterprise.

Indeed, as the Instagram page for American Riviera Orchard notes, it is ‘By Meghan, Duchess of Sussex’.

It seems the ‘brand separation’ of Harry and Meghan, predicted by this paper in September last year, has come to pass. Harry has his Invictus Games and eco travel venture Travalyst; now Meghan has American Riviera Orchard.

Interestingly, for all her raging against the royal institution, the branding on her new website is quasi-regal, with a golden crest made out of the letters A R, ­presumably standing for ­American Riviera, which is how some describe the stretch of Californian coast which includes their home in Montecito.

The genesis of Meghan’s latest relaunch lies back in the ­pandemic, when she started to consider all she lost when she gave up The Tig. She had shuttered the site in 2017 just before she and Harry announced their engagement.

Then, in an interview with The Cut in 2022, she teased she was coming back onto Instagram, only to row away from that suggestion.

But her plan came a large step nearer when she signed with the William Morris Endeavor (WME) agency in April 2023.

At this point, the Harry & ­Meghan docuseries and Harry’s book, Spare, had just been released. Their revelations led to them being regarded as toxic, ­lampooned as eternal ­complainers, and both she and Harry were said to be rather regretting that they had signed tell-all deals after Megxit.

Harry famously said they had no choice because his family had ­’literally’ cut them off financially when they left the UK.

Her team at WME included power agent-turned-Endeavor CEO Ari Emanuel; Brad Slater, the rep and brand architect within the agency; and longtime Serena Williams agent Jill Smoller.

In a statement at the time, WME noted: ‘Film and television production, brand partnerships and overall business-building will be explored. Acting will not be an area of focus.’

In the months that followed, Meghan had a number of meetings about brand partnerships, which would have been lucrative, and film production possibilities (although the Hollywood actors and writers strikes closed off this avenue for months).

But although Archewell did a deal to option the rom com Meet Me At The Lake, nothing else seemed to stick. Speculation that Meghan might represent Dior also came to nothing.

Instead ‘overall business-­building’ became the focus.

The idea of leaning back into her Tig years continued to appeal, although nobody can say Meghan has rushed into anything.

Some Netflix moles cavil that she and Harry are ‘very indecisive’, and the elongated timeframe of this return to Instagram suggests that is accurate.

While considering the likely end of their Netflix deal next year, the idea of a cookbook continued to fascinate Meghan, as I reported last month.

She has always been a devoted foodie, keen on all things health and wellbeing, and the Hubb Community Kitchen charity cookbook released in the wake of the ­Grenfell Tower disaster was her idea — and a great success.

Meghan-friendly author Omid Scobie said last year in his book Endgame that the couple came to regret signing their £15.8m podcasting deal with Spotify after clashing with executives at the tech company, and had started to look at ‘more creative projects’.

Meghan was working on ‘something more accessible, something rooted in her love of details, curating, hosting, life’s simple pleasures and family’. The idea was that it would be ‘safe and timeless’.

He added: ‘I still don’t quite understand what that business project will be because, as I spoke to people while writing the book, it changed about five times.’

Now, though, we know.

Early indications are of stratospheric interest — within 24 hours of the Instagram page appearing, 400,000 had signed up for updates from it. The expectation is that Meghan can make millions, fast, from her new venture.

Of course, there are naysayers. A columnist at the New York Post wrote: ‘What a shamelessly ­opportunistic moment to pull back the curtain on some tablecloths and coasters.’

He added that he expected the ‘glorified Etsy page’ to be ‘an embarrassing blip’.

‘It’s been bungle after bungle, lazy move after lazy move,’ he continued. ‘For Markle, CV has come to stand for Costly Vanity.’

We will find out soon who is right.

The Duchess of Sussex has confused fans with the name of her new lifestyle brand: American Riviera Orchard.

Meghan, 42, announced her new business on Instagram yesterday with a glossy clip plus a few little hints of what the venture might entail.

The launch of her Montecito-based brand was accompanied by significant speculation about what the company might be and what the name means.

An insider told the Daily Mail that Meghan’s new company will be a “lifestyle and cooking brand” centered around her passions.

And while it seems likely that the brand will focus on lifestyle entertainment, the name – American Riviera Orchard – is still hotly contested online. However, the name has personal meaning for the Duchess.

Royal Watchers have branded the brand ‘word salad’, saying it is ‘not the snappiest name’.

Montecito, the area in California where Meghan and Prince Harry (39) live, is often called the American Riviera.

The Californian city is associated with the northern Mediterranean coast known as the Riviera due to its geography and climate.

While that is part of the name, the meaning behind “orchard” has yet to be revealed.

Despite the partial justification, fans remain baffled as to why Meghan would make American Riviera Orchard her brand name.

People went to X to express their confusion. One said: ‘ABC News: Meghan Markle launches American Riviera Orchard. What kind of word salad name is that?’

A second added: ‘I don’t understand the name American Riviera Orchard?’

“I wish Meghan the best of luck but American Riviera Orchard sounds like a dog name at Crufts,” said a third.

A fourth chimed in, writing: “American Riviera Orchard. Not the snappiest brand name in the world, right?’

Another asked, “She called it American Riviera Orchard? What the hell does that mean? Is she selling apples now?’

“I’ve been calling on Meghan to regain her influence for years, but she could have chosen a worse name than American Riviera Orchard,” said a sixth.

Another agreed, saying, “I’m sorry, but American Riviera Orchard is the clumsiest brand name I’ve heard in a long time. All nine syllables just roll off the tongue.”

The Duchess of Sussex’s new project is said to have been in the works for more than a year – and will feature ‘all the things that are close to her heart’.

The flash company coincides with the launch of a new cooking show with Meghan on Netflix, where she will make and sell her own products. It will lead to a book and blog in addition to her cooking shows.

It is understood that a trademark application has been filed for cutlery – knives, forks, spoons – cookbooks and electronic cookbooks, coffee, jam, jelly and butter.

It also extends to a physical store where crockery, mugs, jams, tablecloths and recipe books can be sold.

In the new video, Meghan is seen knocking in a beautiful, rustic kitchen as a woman’s hands arrange pink and white flowers.

The announcement comes on the same evening as Prince Harry and Prince William will make a rare joint appearance at the Diana Legacy Award event at the Science Museum in London – but neither will be in the room at the same time, even virtually.

And it follows a difficult week for the Royals – after Princess Kate was forced to admit she edited a photo of her and her children that she released on Mother’s Day after the world’s top photo and news agencies – including PA – had ‘killed’ the image. claims it was digitally manipulated.

An insider told the Daily Mail: ‘It’s a lifestyle and cooking brand called American Riviera Orchard.

‘The intention is for the brand to coincide with the launch of a new cooking show for Netflix. Meghan will make and sell products such as jam.

‘And at some point there will be a book and a blog etc.’

The brand will focus on home, garden, food and general lifestyle items.

The plush video is accompanied by a series of nine cryptic Instagram posts, which alongside the name form the brand’s logo: ‘American Riviera Orchard Montecito’.

Comments on the Instagram posts have been disabled, and the page links to a new website of the same name where people can enter their email address and “get on the waitlist.”

Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliam told MailOnline: ‘The Sussexes, in my opinion, do nothing by accident and timing is often absolutely crucial. We found that out in a way this weekend and we’ve just been reminded that there may be more shots in their locker than some of us thought. And it’s not an accident.

‘For years they have been unpredictable, but in one respect they have been predictable, and that is the impeccable timing of when they believe it is useful to release information. They don’t do anything by accident.’

The announcement comes just hours before William is expected to personally deliver a speech to mark the 25th anniversary of the Diana Legacy Award and present awards to 20 recipients this evening. The Prince of Wales will appear alone at the awards ceremony as his wife Kate is still recovering from abdominal surgery.

Harry, who lives in California, will then take part in a video call with the winners, according to reports. However, his involvement will only take place after his brother leaves the ceremony.

Meghan Markle And Prince Harry surprised a “deserving” tech innovator with a six-figure honor.

Harry, 39, and Meghan, 42, are surprised Dr. Joy Buolamwini with the NAACP-Archewell Foundation Digital Civil Rights Award on Thursday, March 14, where I stopped by to make the announcement in person.

A video shared via the Archewell website revealed the pair’s conversation with Buolamwini, 34, saying: “You guys treated me well” when they heard the news.

The clip begins with Meghan telling viewers that she and Harry are “encountering the most incredible leaders in technology,” adding, “We are faced with the difficult choice of choosing just one winner for the NAACP-Archewell Foundation Digital Civil Rights Award.”

Buolamwini founded the Algorithmic Justice League – an organization dedicated to combating racism and sexist bias in software systems – and wrote Unmask AI, which examined the social impact of technology while simultaneously delving into initiatives aimed at averting AI-related risks.

Harry explained in the video that when Buolamwini was in college, she “discovered that facial recognition could not detect her dark skin and only worked when she put on a white mask.”

He added: ‘Since this discovery she has continued with it [become] one of the world’s most inspiring, passionate and impactful figures in AI today, at a time when her expertise [is] so desperately needed.”

Meghan noted that Buolamwini “is an inspiration and she deserves this honor and many more.”

The computer scientist will receive a $100,000 grant to advance her research.

“I am incredibly humbled and honored to join such an illustrious group of recipients for the Digital Civil Rights Award from the NAACP and The Archewell Foundation,” Buolamwini said in a statement on the Archewell website. “With the rapid spread of AI, it is more important than ever to ensure that these gatekeeper algorithms serve us all and do not hinder the civil rights of marginalized communities. This award will help the Algorithmic Justice League continue our work to prevent AI harm, connect the excrypted resources, and raise awareness of AI’s impact on society through our advocacy, art, and research.”

The annual award, introduced by Meghan and Harry in 2022, promotes emerging leaders committed to initiating transformative shifts and advocating for civil rights within the digital world. Nabiha SyedCEO of The Markup, a nonprofit news outlet focused on examining the social impacts of technology, received the award in 2023.

The Archewell Foundation, established after Harry and Meghan stepped down as senior royals in 2020, is an organization “underpinned by the core belief that mental health and our collective well-being are of paramount importance,” according to its website. “We prioritize solutions that take families, youth, race and gender into account, and strive to find the joy and hope we all share for the future.”

In addition to his Archewell commitments, Harry made a virtual appearance at the Diana Legacy Awards on Thursday, celebrating charitable efforts in honor of his late mother. Princess Diana.

“My mother would be incredibly proud of all the work you have done, I am incredibly proud and thank you for everything you do.” Harry told the winners in a video conference. ‘I’m sorry I can’t be there. I wish I could be there with you.”

The Diana Legacy Awards took place in London, but Harry delivered his message from California, where he and Meghan have lived since 2020. (Harry’s brother, Prince Williammade a personal visit to present trophies on Thursday.)

“The future is yours and you help shape that future,” the Duke of Sussex added. “Enjoy the rest of your evening, if that’s what you plan to do. Make sure you don’t get into too much trouble as you continue. And thank you so much for inspiring so many others while protecting my mother’s legacy. I really appreciate that.”

Instagram has witnessed a spike in the number of profiles mimicking the Duchess of Sussex’s new lifestyle brand: American Riviera Orchard.

Meghan, 42, announced her new business venture on Thursday at a glossy clip plus a few little hints of what the venture might entail, quickly gaining more than 339 thousand followers.

The surprise announcement was accompanied by significant speculation about what the company might be and what the name means.

But despite the lack of clarity, other Instagram users have quickly copied variations of Meghan’s new Instagram account, putting people at risk of scams once American Riviera Orchard is up and running.

In less than 24 hours, at least 15 users have created accounts under the title American Riviera Orchard – some of which already have more than 1,000 followers, indicating they may think it is Meghan’s.

A majority of accounts using the name American Riviera Orchard also use Meghan’s logo.

The brand’s logo bears a striking resemblance to a royal coat of arms and appears to consist of the initials ‘A’ and ‘R’ – believed to stand for ‘American Riviera’.

The company’s name is written in what appears to be the Duchess’ near-perfect calligraphy.

Elsewhere, other stories openly claim to be the Duchess herself, listing their name as: ‘Meghan, Duchess of Sussex.’

While it’s unclear what the nature of Meghan’s new business is, if she sells products in the future, consumers could be at risk of purchasing through erroneous accounts.

It comes after the Duchess of Sussex confused fans with the name of her new lifestyle brand: American Riviera Orchard.

An insider told the Daily Mail that Meghan’s new company will be a “lifestyle and cooking brand” centered around her passions.

And while it seems likely that the brand will focus on lifestyle entertainment, the name – American Riviera Orchard – is still hotly contested online. However, the name has personal meaning for the Duchess.

Royal Watchers have branded the brand ‘word salad’, saying it is ‘not the snappiest name’.

Montecito, the area in California where Meghan and Prince Harry (39) live, is often called the American Riviera.

The Californian city is associated with the northern Mediterranean coast known as the Riviera due to its geography and climate.

While that is part of the name, the meaning behind “orchard” has yet to be revealed.

Despite the partial justification, fans remain baffled as to why Meghan would make American Riviera Orchard her brand name.

People went to X to express their confusion. One said: ‘ABC News: Meghan Markle launches American Riviera Orchard. What kind of word salad name is that?’

A second added: ‘I don’t understand the name American Riviera Orchard?’

“I wish Meghan the best of luck but American Riviera Orchard sounds like a dog name at Crufts,” said a third.

A fourth chimed in, writing: “American Riviera Orchard. Not the snappiest brand name in the world, right?’

Another asked, “She called it American Riviera Orchard? What the hell does that mean? Is she selling apples now?’

“I’ve been calling on Meghan to regain her influence for years, but she could have chosen a worse name than American Riviera Orchard,” said a sixth.

Another agreed, saying, “I’m sorry, but American Riviera Orchard is the clumsiest brand name I’ve heard in a long time. All nine syllables just roll off the tongue.”

The Duchess of Sussex’s new project is said to have been in the works for more than a year – and will feature ‘all the things that are close to her heart’.

The flash company coincides with the launch of a new cooking show with Meghan on Netflix, where she will make and sell her own products. It will lead to a book and blog in addition to her cooking shows.

It is understood that a trademark application has been filed for cutlery – knives, forks, spoons – cookbooks and electronic cookbooks, coffee, jam, jelly and butter.

It also extends to a physical store where crockery, mugs, jams, tablecloths and recipe books can be sold.

In the new video, Meghan is seen knocking in a beautiful, rustic kitchen as a woman’s hands arrange pink and white flowers.

The announcement comes on the same evening as Prince Harry and Prince William will make a rare joint appearance at the Diana Legacy Award event at the Science Museum in London – but neither will be in the room at the same time, even virtually.

And it follows a difficult week for the Royals – after Princess Kate was forced to admit she edited a photo of her and her children that she released on Mother’s Day after the world’s top photo and news agencies – including PA – had ‘killed’ the image. claims it was digitally manipulated.

An insider told the Daily Mail: ‘It’s a lifestyle and cooking brand called American Riviera Orchard.

‘The intention is for the brand to coincide with the launch of a new cooking show for Netflix. Meghan will make and sell products such as jam.

‘And at some point there will be a book and a blog etc.’

The brand will focus on home, garden, food and general lifestyle items.

The plush video is accompanied by a series of nine cryptic Instagram posts, which alongside the name form the brand’s logo: ‘American Riviera Orchard Montecito’.

Comments on the Instagram posts have been disabled, and the page links to a new website of the same name where people can enter their email address and “get on the waitlist.”

Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliam told MailOnline: ‘The Sussexes, in my opinion, do nothing by accident and timing is often absolutely crucial. We found that out in a way this weekend and we’ve just been reminded that there may be more shots in their locker than some of us thought. And it’s not an accident.

‘For years they have been unpredictable, but in one respect they have been predictable, and that is the impeccable timing of when they believe it is useful to release information. They don’t do anything by accident.’

The announcement comes just hours before William is expected to personally deliver a speech to mark the 25th anniversary of the Diana Legacy Award and present awards to 20 recipients this evening. The Prince of Wales will appear alone at the awards ceremony as his wife Kate is still recovering from abdominal surgery.

Harry, who lives in California, will then take part in a video call with the winners, according to reports. However, his involvement will only take place after his brother leaves the ceremony.