Meghan Markle has strengthened her ties with the Real Housewives reality TV franchise and one of its top stars, Garcelle Beauvais, the latest recipient of an exclusive jar of her American Riviera Orchard lifestyle brand’s strawberry jam.
Since her split from the monarchy and move to California in 2020, there has been unfounded speculation that Meghan would join the cast of the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills; the duchess even discussed it with the show’s producer, Andy Cohen, on her hit podcast, Archetypes. Although Meghan denied she would become part of a reality show, the rumors have followed her as she has herself become a film and TV producer, alongside Prince Harry.
Robin L Marshall/FilmMagic/ Amy Sussman/FilmMagic
Meghan’s latest venture, however, has been her lifestyle brand American Riviera Orchard. In a smart promotional move, the duchess has soft-launched the brand by gifting 50 exclusive jars of branded jam to high-profile women who have been posting about them on their social-media pages.
The latest to do so (with jar number 18 out of 50) is Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Beauvais. In a post to her Instagram page on Friday, Beauvais uploaded a photograph of her jar nestled in a bowl of lemons with the caption: “Sweetness @americanrivieraorchard.”
Newsweek approached representatives of Beauvais and Meghan Markle for comment.
Little information is in the public domain about Beauvais’ relationship with Meghan, though the latest development suggests their ties may be stronger than previously known.
The reality star uploaded a photograph of the two to her Instagram page on November 17, after both had attended the Variety Power of Women gala in Los Angeles.
The event brought together some of the most-powerful women in Hollywood, and Beauvais spoke on stage alongside a list of names that included Meghan’s friend, Oprah Winfrey.
During her time on stage, Beauvais made a touching comment about the duchess, which hinted it was the first time that they had met. “By the way,” she told the gala audience. “I took a picture with Meghan Markle. So I can die now.”
Despite her Archetypes discussion with Andy Cohen in 2022, in which she told him: “There will be no reality show!” the Real Housewives producer has hinted he continues to hope she will one day change her mind.
Speaking at the BravoCon convention in Las Vegas, Nevada, as late as November 2023, Cohen listed Meghan among his dream roster of additions to the franchise.
“If we can get Meghan Markle,” he said, per People, “that would be interesting.”
So far, Cohen has not posted that he has been a recipient of one of Meghan’s exclusive jars of American Riviera Orchard jam.
Among the celebrities who have are the duchess’ Suits co-star Abigail Spencer, Kardashian matriarch Kris Jenner, actress and writer Mindy Kaling, and TV personality, Chrissy Teigen.
James Crawford-Smith is Newsweek‘s royal reporter, based in London. You can find him on X (formerly Twitter) at @jrcrawfordsmith and read his stories on Newsweek‘s The Royals Facebook page.
Do you have a question about King Charles III, William and Kate, Meghan Markle and Harry, or their family that you would like our experienced royal correspondents to answer? Email [email protected]. We’d love to hear from you.
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.