Meghan Markle's close friends fail to show support for Duchess of Sussex's new business venture

Though the Duchess of Sussex had taken down her Instagram page years ago, she posted a collage of images to a new brand account bearing American Riviera Orchard's "seal" in March.

And despite Meghan's business reaching some 615,000 followers since March 14, it appears that six-figure sum isn't supplemented by her close friends.

Serena Williams had taken her place in the choir stalls of St George's Chapel at Windsor Castle for Meghan's 2018 wedding to Prince Harry - but not among the legions of the duchess's online followers.

And Oprah - who hosted the controversial 2021 interview with the royal couple - hasn't followed Meghan either.

It's not all bad news for American Riviera Orchard, with fellow California-dwellers Kris Jenner and Tracy Robbins, both of whom received personalised jars of Meghan's branded jam, adding their names to Meghan's following.

Kris - mother to Kim, Kourtney, Khloe and Rob Kardashian, and Kendall and Kylie Jenner, had even taken to social media to share her receipt of the limited-edition jam back in April.

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Alongside the jams, Meghan is understood to have filed to register a number of trademarks for homewares, make-up and pet food - but the duchess has run into difficulty when trying to find partners to kick-start her brand.

In a bombshell claim from royal author Tom Quinn, American Riviera Orchard's failings could be a sign the Sussexes' plans are in "serious trouble".

Quinn said: "Harry has never had any real idea about becoming an entrepreneur or a businessman in his own right," speaking to the Mirror.

He continued: "He is trained from birth to do one thing only - to be a royal, and he has thrown that away.

"His one hundred per cent support for his wife and her business ventures has never wavered - but it hasn't been enough to make a success of her company.

"Meghan is proof that self-belief won't always guarantee success. It won't always make you a great entrepreneur and businesswoman."

The social media no-show follows the brand's copyright scandal just over a month ago when a "copycat" website "stole the Duchess of Sussex's initiative".

A new shop, bearing the same name as Meghan's trademark, had surfaced online - selling anti-monarchist wares "celebrating all walks of life" and "the resilience of the working class".