Meghan Markle Ditches American Riviera Orchard (But Is Keeping Her Jams!)

First things first, this is not a post hating on Meghan Markle. We are obviously not a British tabloid or the right-wing media and I think if Markle wants to live in California and make jam, then that sounds like a lovely life. However, I will never pass up on an opportunity to lightly poke fun at earnestness…especially an earnest celeb. So when Markle posted an Instagram video on Tuesday announcing that she’s rebranded her lifestyle line from American Rivieria Orchard to “As Ever,” I could not help but blog.

“Cat’s outta’ the bag!” Markle opens her video, wearing a breezy, white linen shirt and crouching down in what appears to be a garden. “I’m shocked we’ve kept this a secret for so long.” I, too, feel shock, Meghan.

“In two weeks, my show is coming out, which I’m really excited for, and also my business,” Markle continues. “Which I think there’s been a lot of curiosity about.” You can say that again!”

 

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She explains that she once thought American Riviera was “such a great name” because it’s her neighborhood and “a nickname for Santa Barbara,” except it limited her to only releasing items that were “manufactured or grown” in the area. Fair enough! She then explains that Netflix came on “not just as my partner in the show, but as my partner in business,” and, because of that, she decided to ditch the name American Rivieria Orchard. (It lowkey sounds like Netflix told her to get rid of that shit.)

“I’ve been waiting for a moment to share a name that I secured in 2022 and this is the moment,” she announces. “And it’s called ‘As Ever.'” Whew. OK! This is…fine. Does it sound like a line of Victoria’s Secret bath products? Yes. Did millions of girls on Tumblr reblog images of fireflies and star-spotted meadows with “As Ever” scrawled in cursive across the top in 2009? They definitely did. Does it remind me of a poem I wrote in my diary in fourth grade about having a crush on Peter M after we starred in the school play together? It does.

Nothing wrong with any of these things! But I would definitely not launch a lifestyle line inspired by them…

“‘As ever’ essentially means ‘as it’s always been,'” she says in the video. But in the caption of the video, she clarifies it for us even further: “‘As ever’ means ‘as it’s always been’ or some even say ‘in the same way as always.'” We didn’t need this spelled out, love, but thank you.

“This new chapter is an extension of what has always been my love language, beautifully weaving together everything I cherish — food, gardening, entertaining, thoughtful living, and finding joy in the everyday,” she writes in the caption. “I will keep sharing behind the scenes tidbits with you here as we ramp up to launch, and I can’t wait for you to get your hands on everything we’ve been creating. Sending lots of love…”

And there we have it! American Riveria Orchard is no more. However, Markle assured us that As Ever will still include plenty of jams. Phew!

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