Meghan Markle 'abiding by Netflix's schedule' as Duchess of Sussex working on new show

The Duchess of Sussex is said to be abiding by the streaming service's schedule
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George Bunn

By George Bunn


Published: 13/08/2024

- 20:29

It comes as fans eagerly await the launch of her brand, American Riviera Orchard

Meghan Markle is set to be awaiting on the schedule of Netflix before she launches her eagerly anticipated lifestyle brand.

Next week, it will be four months since the Duchess of Sussex’s celebrity friends began sharing images of numbered limited-edition pots of jam sent to them by her as part of her new brand lifestyle brand, American Riviera Orchard.


According to sources in Hollywood, the launch is contingent on when Netflix screen her new cooking and homemaking show.

A report in the Daily Mail suggested that the brand and TV show may not be launched until May next year.

Netflix sign, Meghan Markle

The Duchess of Sussex is said to be abiding by the streaming service's schedule

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One source, a senior entertainment executive, told Daily Beast: "Everyone has to abide by Netflix’s schedule these days. They are by far the biggest player in town."

The source added there was "literally no point in Meghan doing anything" until Netflix were ready to act.

Meanwhile, New York-based branding expert Norah Lawlor added: "From a strategic and branding perspective, if you suggest you are going to launch something but then four months later nothing has happened, the world moves on.

"Fortunately for them there has been so much going on in the world in the last four months that they could probably relaunch it and no one would really notice. The bigger question is whether they have a real team on it, and whether that team has been able to negotiate the retail channel partnerships to get this into stores."

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Meghan MarkleA look at Meghan Markle's jam from American Riviera Orchard Instagram / Heather Dorak

It comes after sources close to Meghan have revealed to the Daily Mail that the US Patents and Trademarks Office has issued Notices of Irregularities over the brand’s trademark applications – noting "irregularities" that must be "corrected" before the full-scale launch scheduled for next year.

The source confirmed that these requests for clarification are typical and entirely expected due to discrepancies between US and UK classification of goods.

They stipulated that any fees regarding the delays, thought to total nearly £9,000, have been paid.

Meghan Markle recently finished filming her Netflix show, which is yet to receive a release date, but is thought to be a compliment to American Riviera Orchard.

Her as-yet unnamed show will reportedly revolve around her passions, including cooking, gardening and entertaining, and comes under the couple's $100million Netflix deal.

A Hollywood source told the Daily Beast, "It went well, and it is in the can" meaning that the project – which was reportedly filmed at a property two miles from the pair's Montecito mansion in California – is ready to go.

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