Meghan Markle gets Oprah to promote her new lattes
Oprah Winfrey gave a gushing endorsement of a luxury instant latte that Meghan Markle gave her as a “Christmas gift” — hours before Markle announced she’s an investor in the brand.
In an Instagram video posted early Monday, the billionaire beamed as she flaunted an enormous gift basket of drinks from California-based Clevr Blends, which bills itself as a “woman-led, mission-driven wellness company.”
Markle and husband Prince Harry have been close pals with Oprah and her BFF Gayle King for years, and the couple live close to the media mogul in their $14 million Montecito, California, mansion.
In the clip, Oprah demostrates how to make one of the company’s oat milk and turmeric drinks. She captioned it: “On the first day of Christmas my neighbor ‘M’ sent to me… A basket of deliciousness!” She added, not so subtly, “Yes that M” — alongside a crown emoji.
She added that the $28-a-bag beverage is her “new drink of choice for the morning and night,” writing, “Wish I had @clevrblends sooner cause I would’ve added it to my Favourite Things list.”
It appears that Oprah was doing her pal a serious solid. A few hours after the video posted, Fortune magazine revealed that Markle has recently invested in Clevr.
In a statement given to Page Six, Markle said of her investment in the brand, which is led by co-founder and CEO Hannah Mendoza, “This investment is in support of a passionate female entrepreneur who prioritizes building community alongside her business.”
She added, “I’m proud to invest in Hannah’s commitment to sourcing ethical ingredients and creating a product that I personally love and has a holistic approach to wellness. I believe in her and I believe in her company.”
Markle is believed to have reached out to the Clevr team after trying the company’s product, which debuted in 2017 and is based in Montecito.
A rep for Markle declined to reveal how much money she has invested. Clevr, which has six employees, now plans to use the investment to build its business, which currently sells four different kinds of instant lattes.
“Entrepreneurs need funding, but they also need advisers who care deeply about what they are building. I’m grateful to have found both in the Duchess of Sussex,” Mendoza said. “Her passion for what we’re creating is palpable, and I couldn’t imagine a more aligned partnership. We’re excited for the road ahead.”
A source told Page Six that Markle was keen to support female entrepreneurs, who typically receive less than 3% of investment capital despite making up 40% of business owners.
Markle and Harry are currently building their Archewell charitable foundation, while also finding ways to make their own money after leaving the royal family — including signing a multimillion-dollar Netflix deal.
On Sunday night, Markle appeared on the “CNN Heroes” special to honor COVID-19 heroes.
Oprah and King attended the couple’s 2018 wedding, while the “CBS This Morning” anchor also went to Markle’s famed baby shower and visited the couple at their Frogmore Cottage residence in the UK before their “Megxit.”