The launch of Meghan Markle's new lifestyle brand, American Riviera Orchard, has taken an unexpected turn after an anonymous royal fan appeared to hijack the UK domain name for the brand, redirecting it to a fundraising page for the foodbank network The Trussell Trust. The incident has sparked both praise and criticism, with the charity issuing a statement to clarify its position.
The official US website for Meghan's brand is americanrivieraorchard.com, but the home page of americanrivieraorchard.uk, seemingly bought by an anonymous buyer, displays a message in capital letters: "Forgiveness. Permission. Please donate to The Trussell Trust." The linked JustGiving page, with an initial target of £1,000, includes a message reading, "this is not meghan but hopefully meghan wouldn't mind. thoughts with catherine, princess of wales and his majesty the king. x."
The fundraising page has exceeded its target, raising more than £23,000 as of Wednesday morning. Donors have expressed support for Kate, the Princess of Wales, and the Trussell Trust, with messages such as "We Stand With Catherine" and "Just love what you did here!"
However, the hijacking of Meghan's website has also drawn criticism, with some on social media calling for the Trussell Trust to disassociate itself from the fundraiser, claiming it mocks the Duchess of Sussex. In response, the charity took to X, formerly Twitter, to clarify its position.
"We are not associated with the website domain. We weren't aware of the website prior to it going live and have not had any direct contact with the person who set it up," the Trussell Trust stated. "As the website clearly states this is a fundraiser in aid of us, it would not meet the Charity Commission's requirements to be categorised as fraudulent. In line with the Commission's guidance, we are unable to reject donations unless they meet specific requirements."
Sophie Carre, director of public engagement at the Trussell Trust, also commented last week, saying, "The Trussell Trust are grateful to people who put their time and energy into supporting our work to end the need for food banks in the UK. The charity is not connected with this website domain and has no knowledge of who set it up."
The controversy surrounding the hijacked website comes as Meghan Markle soft-launched her new business venture last month, revealing an Instagram account and website for American Riviera Orchard. The social media page features a vintage-style video of Meghan cooking and arranging flowers, set to Nancy Wilson's "I Wish You Love."
While little information has been released about the brand, a trademark application filed on February 2 indicates that the company plans to offer a range of products, including downloadable and printed recipe books, tableware, textiles, and jams and marmalades.
Last week, Meghan carried out a soft launch of the brand's first product, sending limited edition jars of strawberry jam to her friends. Fashion designer Tracy Robbins and Delfina Blaquier, the wife of Harry's friend Nacho Figueras, both shared images of the jam on their Instagram accounts, expressing their appreciation for the gift.
