How Harry and Meghan's perfectly timed PR blitz torpedoed William's Diana tribute: Duchess launched 'Tig 2.0' just before Wills took to stage with moving speech, before couple announced civil rights award from LA in middle of 25th anniversary event
- After a tumultuous few days for the Royals, Rebecca English answers your questions LIVE on MailOnline this Friday at 12pm. Email yours to [email protected]
Meghan Markle launched her new luxury lifestyle brand American Riviera Orchard in a PR blitz orchestrated from the United States that overshadowed an event celebrating the life and work of Harry's mother.
Questions have been raised about whether the Duke and Duchess of Sussex timed the announcement to scupper Prince William's speech to the 25th Diana Legacy Awards at the Science Museum in London yesterday evening.
In a glitzy Instagram video for the new venture released at 5.15pm yesterday, the Duchess of Sussex can be seen busying herself in a rustic-looking kitchen.
Just 45 minutes later, at 6pm, Prince William arrived at the Diana Legacy Awards where he hailed his mother's legacy in an emotional speech given at 7pm.
The PR bombardment from California continued when at 9pm the Sussexes appeared in a video where they announced Archewell's winner of a $100,000 civil rights award in the US just as the Prince of Wales was still speaking and handing out awards to the winners.
Harry then addressed Diana Legacy Award winners at around 11.15pm, via video link from Montecito, until around midnight. But the video of Harry congratulating the 20 young people was released by his team at Archewell at around 5am this morning, just in time for the morning headlines in the UK.
And this afternoon it emerged that another Meghan Markle Netflix show is on the horizon - a cookery programme - and is set to 'start filming within weeks', sources have said.
American Riviera Orchard itself was unveiled to the world on March 14 - a seismic day for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Yesterday was the fourth anniversary of what Prince Harry called their 'freedom flight', where he filmed himself celebrating officially emigrating to the US as Megxit was confirmed.
In extraordinary footage on March 14 2020, a jubilant Harry filmed himself on board the luxury liner - putting his fingers his lips and smiling as he said: 'We are on the freedom flight. We are leaving Canada and we are headed to Los Angeles. Shh!'
![](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/03/15/09/82501255-13200517-image-m-19_1710495438667.jpg)
Meghan Markle is filmed working in a kitchen in a social media friendly video launching her new food and homeware business American Riviera Orchard
![Prince William, Prince of Wales, arrives at The Diana Legacy Awards at the Science Museum where he was greeted by Tessy Oho](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/03/15/09/82501253-13200517-image-m-17_1710495333793.jpg)
Prince William, Prince of Wales, arrives at The Diana Legacy Awards at the Science Museum where he was greeted by Tessy Oho
![At 9pm the Sussexes appeared in a video where they announced Archewell's winner of a $100,000 civil rights award in the US](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/03/15/09/82501257-13200517-image-m-21_1710495538634.jpg)
At 9pm the Sussexes appeared in a video where they announced Archewell's winner of a $100,000 civil rights award in the US
![](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/03/15/10/82503541-13200517-image-a-39_1710499892608.jpg)
William attended the event for the Diana Legacy Awards at the Science Museum in London, while his brother made an appearance virtually from Montecito several hours later, after his older brother had left
![](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/03/15/09/82501249-13200517-image-m-15_1710495320032.jpg)
A smiling Harry on a private jet on what he called 'Freedom Day'
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Archie, then 10 months old, and Harry's mother in law Doria Ragland were given Tyler Perry's private jet to take them to California from Vancouver Island, where they had been living since quitting as frontline royals.
Mr Perry, who is also Archie's godfather, also offered the couple the use of his home in California before they bought $14.7million dollar mansion in Montecito.
The launch of American Riviera Orchard emerged late yesterday afternoon - just as William was about to take to the stage to hail his mother's legacy in an emotional speech.
Trademark documents hastily filed in the US show she plans to flog tableware, cookbooks, napkin rings, jellies, jams and marmalades. American Riviera Orchard is owned by Meghan's new company Mama Knows Best, which suggests more businesses are on the way.
Critics have questioned whether Harry's rift with William is now so all consuming that he would be allow his wife's lifestyle brand launch to overshadow an event in his mother's memory with a business launch selling jams, marmalades and kitchenware.
Others have pondered whether Harry was fully aware given his love for his mother and the magnitude of last night's event.
Royal biographer and commentator Phil Dampier told MailOnline today: 'Nothing happens by accident with Harry and Meghan.
'Harry probably felt he wasn’t getting the exposure he deserved as William was actually at the event and he wasn’t. As for American Riviera Orchard I’ve always thought Meghan would end up doing some sort of Gwyneth Paltrow style lifestyle range and this has clearly been planned for many months.
'If it means she concentrates on making money and not on attacking the royal family I’m all for it'.
The Sussexes' have been accused of Prince William's speech at an awards ceremony in honour of his mother Princess Diana when Meghan revealed she is launching a cooking and lifestyle brand.
An insider told the Mail: ‘The brand is meant to coincide with the launch of a new cookery show for Netflix. Meghan will be making, and selling products such as jams. At some point there will be a book and a blog.’
The brand, American Riviera Orchard, will focus on home, garden, food and lifestyle wares.
On its Instagram account, it posted a series of nine cryptic images, which revealed its gold logo, featuring a swirly emblem. Beneath that is written ‘Montecito’, the Californian town where Prince Harry, 39, and Meghan, 42, moved to after stepping down as working royals.
![Meghan's regal looking logo and branding](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/03/15/09/82500649-13200517-image-a-5_1710493815349.jpg)
Meghan's regal looking logo and branding
![](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/03/15/01/82480547-0-image-a-1_1710467276015.jpg)
The new brand is set to be an extension of her former lifestyle blog The Tig, an insider told America’s Page Six, adding: ‘She’s been working on this for over a year and it’s all the things that are close to her heart.’
The Instagram video opens with washed-out footage of a woman’s hands arranging white and pink flowers. It then fades to reveal Meghan in a kitchen, whisking something in a bowl.
It continues with an image of a woman, thought to be Meghan, wearing a long, dark dress in an Italian-style, outdoor corridor. The scenes, which have a glamorous, retro feel, are set against the strains of American jazz singer Nancy Wilson’s 1960 hit I Wish You Love.
As the media campaign emerged, the Prince of Wales attended the Diana Legacy Awards at the Science Museum in London yesterday.
Around three hours later Prince Harry made an appearance virtually from his Californian home.
William took the stage to AC/DC's song Thundertrack, which he referred to as 'George's song', before telling the audience himself and the Princess of Wales channel Diana's legacy through their work.
The Duke of Sussex spoke to the group of winners at around 9pm London time yesterday evening but it was not until 5am on Friday that the Sussexes released an edited clip of the conversation held over videolink.
His appearance, where winners told him he was 'missed' back in the UK, came just hours after his wife Meghan Markle launched her latest business venture - luxury lifestyle brand American Riveria Orchard.
Fans who sign up for information on the Duchesses' new business venture will be notified about 'products' - which some commentators have suggested is a clear breach of the agreement by the Sussexes' to not profit off their royal titles.
The Sussexes' timing to coincide with the Diana's awards has been questioned by royal experts, with one telling MailOnline 'the Sussexes in my opinion do nothing by accident'.
As William left the event, began his talk via video-link from Montecito, where he told the young winners: 'I'm sorry I am not there. I wish I could be there with you guys.'
He went on to thank the group for 'for inspiring so many others' and 'protecting my mother's legacy' before joking with the winners about not getting into 'too much trouble' if they planned to head out in the capital to celebrate.
![Prince William, Prince of Wales speaks to Tom Walker, Ken Spellman and Dr Tessy Oho CBE as he attends The Diana Legacy Awards last night](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/03/14/19/82480919-13198415-image-a-40_1710444105417.jpg)
Prince William, Prince of Wales speaks to Tom Walker, Ken Spellman and Dr Tessy Oho CBE as he attends The Diana Legacy Awards last night
![The Diana Awards had been touted as a rare joint appearance by estranged brothers William and Harry, albeit 5,000 miles apart from each other and at different times of the evening](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/03/15/05/82497811-13199817-image-a-21_1710481233931.jpg)
The Diana Awards had been touted as a rare joint appearance by estranged brothers William and Harry, albeit 5,000 miles apart from each other and at different times of the evening
![A royal expert has claimed that Princess Diana (pictured in 1983) would have insisted the brothers set their feud aside to present the award in her name](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/03/14/18/82480101-13198415-image-a-7_1710442557927.jpg)
A royal expert has claimed that Princess Diana (pictured in 1983) would have insisted the brothers set their feud aside to present the award in her name
Throughout his speech, Prince William also paid a moving tribute to his mother as he handed out awards in his memory.
He told the crowd that Princess Diana had taught him that 'everyone in need deserves a supporting hand in life' and that her legacy was an inspiration to both him and his wife Kate, who is currently recovering from abdominal surgery.
'She taught me that everyone has the potential to give something back; that everyone in need deserves a supporting hand in life,' the Prince said.
'That legacy is something that both Catherine and I have sought to focus on through our work, as have the 50,000 young people who have received a Diana Award over the past 25 years.
'I am so proud to see this belief of my mother's manifested in the amazing young people receiving the Legacy Award tonight.'
The brother's tributes to their mother comes as royal experts claimed that Princess Diana would have insisted the men put aside their feud to present the award in her name.
The legacy award was introduced by The Diana Award in 2017 to celebrate the life of Diana, Princess of Wales, on the 20th anniversary of her death.
William had walked onto the stage as AC/DC's song Thunderstruck played. Addressing his song of choice, he told the group: 'I like AC/DC, that's George's song'.
After presenting the awards, William met the winners and told them: 'The breadth of what you all cover, I'm amazed.'
He added: 'I'm so blown away by everything you're doing, because you're doing it alongside your studies, your lives, your families, everything else.
'There are a lot of barriers I'm sure a lot of you are facing every time you're doing this.'
![Prince William, Prince of Wales meets Baroness Doreen Lawrence as he attends last night](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/03/14/19/82481199-13198415-image-a-45_1710444545458.jpg)
Prince William, Prince of Wales meets Baroness Doreen Lawrence as he attends last night
![Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry attend the Diana Awards in 2017](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/03/15/01/82444407-0-Prince_William_Duke_of_Cambridge_and_Prince_Harry_attend_the_Dia-a-2_1710467281354.jpg)
Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry attend the Diana Awards in 2017
![Prince William applauds during the Diana Legacy Awards at the Science Museum in Londo](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/03/14/20/82484191-13198415-image-a-13_1710449681536.jpg)
Prince William applauds during the Diana Legacy Awards at the Science Museum in Londo
Later on, Prince Harry spoke to the winners who sat in a small conference room and chatted to him over Zoom.
One award winger, Sophie Pender, founder of the 93% Club - a student society dedicated to making universities more inclusive for state-educated students - told the Duke that 'we really miss you here [in London]'.
Throughout the call, the Prince applauded the group for the 'amazing work you guys are doing' telling them the volunteers and charity workers they had a bright future ahead.
The Prince said: 'So much of the future depends on you guys. Some of the work you do may feel as though you are small, some of it is big but the impact again that you are having on hundreds of thousands, millions of people.
'Without you guys doing that and without you inspiring other people because it feels good and because you get so much from it, that inspiration is like a ripple effect and it goes all across the water.
'You don't need me to tell you that but I want to tell you that. Every single day you are working on these things and you do not know the impact you are making.
'You don't know that when you meet people and have these interactions you may have changed their outlook changed their perspective given them a bit more hope and inspired them to do something similar.
'I am seriously impressed by the work that you do, particularly at the young age you are at, and the future is yours and your going to help with that future.'
Award winner Oluwadamilola Akintewe, 24, was described as 'exemplifying the spirit of the late Princess Diana' through her work on gender-based violence in Nigeria.
After the event she said: 'The Prince asked me if I received enough support in my country and I said compared to the past it's getting better.'