Meghan Markle leaves royal expert in stitches with launch of new product

Meghan Markle has released a limited edition batch of strawberry jam from her new brand, American Riviera Orchard.

By Catherine Meyer-Funnell, Royal Reporter based in London

Meghan Markle 'right' to use her royal title in business venture

latest venture has attracted ridicule from one royal expert who claims she was left "laughing" by the news that the Duchess of Sussex has sent out jars of strawberry jam to a select number of influencers.

Last month Meghan launched her new lifestyle brand American Riviera Orchard, as she and pursue new projects away from the Royal Family.

The strawberry jam appears to be one of the products she will start selling, as she sent out a jar each to 50 different friends and social media influencers in a gift basket.

However Angela Levin, who has never held back in her criticism of the Duchess, hit out at the idea on X: "I can't help laughing. "Meghan has sent 50 influencers a jar of strawberry jam." Hold the front page. It's a limited edition of 50. We see the jar numbered 17."

Fashion designer Tracy Robbins and Argentine socialite Delfina Balquier were both delighted to be amongst those receiving the conserve, as they shared images of the carefully decorated jar on their social media platforms.

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Meghan Markle in Invictus crowd

Meghan Markle has been sending out strawberry jam to her friends (Image: Getty)

The conserve is presented in a classic glass jar with a fabric lid, which features an American Riviera Orchard logo stamped on the top.

The lid is fastened onto the jar with a neat bow, with a label stuck to the front also featuring the American Riviera Orchard logo and the name Montecito, where Meghan and Harry live with their young family.

Each of the jam jars have been hand-labelled from one to 50, as Mrs Robbins showed her Instagram followers that she had received number 17 from the batch.

Meghan Markle at SXSW

Meghan's new brand will sell a range of different home and lifestyle products (Image: Getty)

Tracy Robbins is married to Paramount TV boss Brian Robbins, who invited the Sussexes to Jamaica earlier this year for the premiere of the film Bob Marley: One Love.

In one image she is holding the jar in one hand, with the caption: "@AmericanRivieraOrchard breakfast, lunch and dinner just got a little sweeter."

In a second post the strawberry jam can be seen sitting in a basket of lemons as Mrs Robbins writes: "Thank you for the delicious basket! I absolutely love this jam so not sure I'm sharing with anyone. @AmericanRivieraOrchard Thank you, M! #MontecitoGoodness #AmericanRivieraOrchard."

Harry and Meghan holding hands at Invictus

The couple are raising Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet in Montecito (Image: Getty)

Ms Balquier also took to her Instagram to post pictures of the jar, having received the tenth one in the batch, writing: "Strawberry jam makes me happy. And I love your jam, @AmericanRivieraOrchard."

An image shared to her Instagram story shows her spreading the jam on toast ready to be enjoyed with some fresh strawberries on the side.

Delfina Balquier is married to Nacho Figueras, Harry's close friend and fellow polo player whom he played alongside during a tournament in Miami last Friday.

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