From “No $100 Candles” to Luxury Offerings: Meghan Markle’s Lifestyle Brand’s Evolving Candle Strategy
Years before launching her lifestyle brand, American Riviera Orchard, Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, made a rather emphatic statement about her online retail philosophy: “There are no $100 candles on my site – that’s so obnoxious.” This sentiment was shared during a 2016 appearance at the Create Cultivate Atlanta conference, a gathering for female entrepreneurs. At the time, Meghan was actively promoting her now-defunct lifestyle website, The Tig, which she envisioned as an accessible yet aspirational platform. She described her approach as “girl-next-door,” aiming to offer items that were both desirable and attainable.
The Duchess’s vision for The Tig was to curate a selection of products that resonated with a broad audience, eschewing the extravagant. She articulated this by saying, “I just want things that you can have.” While she was seeking a “head honcho” to help expand The Tig’s reach, the website ultimately ceased operations in April 2017, just seven months before her engagement to Prince Harry was announced. The couple later married and, in 2020, stepped down from their roles as senior working royals, embarking on a new chapter in California.
Fast forward to the present, and Meghan’s current venture, American Riviera Orchard, launched in April 2025, has introduced a range of candles that stand in stark contrast to her earlier pronouncements. Initially offering pantry staples such as raspberry spread, herbal teas, honey, and baking mixes, the brand has since diversified its product line. The candle collection, which debuted in October, has become a significant, albeit controversial, part of the American Riviera Orchard offering.
A Premium Price Point for Candles
The candles sold by American Riviera Orchard are priced at the higher end of the market, with individual candles starting at $89. For those looking to purchase multiple items, a pack of four candles, accompanied by her signature matches, retails for $358. Sets that include two candles and matches are priced at $180. Furthermore, a candle is a key component of the ‘evening ritual’ pack, which also features a sachet of herbal tea and a jar of honey, retailing for $154.
Early Stumbles and Customer Complaints
The launch of Meghan’s candle range was not without its challenges. Almost immediately, some customers reported that their candles arrived without wicks, a fundamental element for a functional candle. This initial issue raised questions about the product’s quality control.
Controversy Surrounds Mother’s Day Collection
Further controversy erupted in April with the release of a special Mother’s Day range. This collection included candles named and marketed with direct inspiration from her two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. A press release for “Signature Candle No. 506” explicitly stated it was inspired by the birthdate of her son, Prince Archie (May 6th in US date format). Similarly, “Signature Candle No. 604” was described as being inspired by “Princess Lilibet of Sussex’s Birthdate.”
The use of the children’s royal titles in marketing material for commercial products sparked significant backlash and public outcry. In response to the negative attention, the mentions of their royal titles were removed from the website just five days after the launch. Currently, “Signature Candle No. 604” is listed without any reference to “Princess,” and its description honours “her daughter Lilibet’s birthdate.” The same adjustments have been made to the description for Archie’s candle.
Mockery Over “Curated Limited Edition” Matches
More recently, the Duchess faced further ridicule on social media when she teased a new product that turned out to be “curated limited edition” matches. This announcement was met with widespread derision, with one X user quipping, “When you have to roll out a full promotional campaign for your newest product and that product is a box of matches, you’ve officially reached the bottom of the barrel.” Another user sarcastically suggested that the next big reveal would be “limited-edition rubber band.”
A Brand Reimagined: New Visuals and Brand Narrative
These developments follow a significant overhaul of both the American Riviera Orchard website and its associated Instagram account, as well as Meghan’s private Instagram. Previous profile pictures were replaced with new imagery and a video that reintroduces followers to “the world of American Riviera Orchard.” The video depicts the Duchess engaging in various lifestyle activities, such as tasting raspberries, tending to a garden, selecting items from a pantry, reading a book, and looking contemplatively out a window while seated at a kitchen bench, reinforcing the brand’s aspirational yet seemingly grounded aesthetic.
