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MEGHAN Markle has scaled back her attacks on the Royal Family in a calculated move, claims an expert.
The Duchess has been accused of keeping a low profile in order to capture an audience for her new brand that values wholesome lifestyles, it is said.
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Personal branding guru Amelia Sordell is convinced the Duchess of Sussex has been discreet to attract fans of organic, family-oriented products before her brand’s big debut later this year.
After standing down from the Royal Family and moving stateside, Harry and Meghan launched numerous scathing attacks on their extended family.
Now a meticulously calculated marketing approach could, in theory, solidify Meghan’s new-found independence and carve out a unique space for her within the competitive world of lifestyle brands.
Amelia said: “She and Harry, as a branded couple, have made a mistake in previous years of giving too much of their authentic story – which meant that people can perceive them in a way that they can’t control.
“By stepping back now, she is likely recalibrating her public persona to better align with the wholesome, family-oriented image that American Riviera Orchard aims to project.”
“Your personal brand has to mirror who you are as a person,” Amelia added.
In attacks against the Firm, first up was the exclusive interview with Oprah Winfrey before they landed a deal with Netflix for ‘Harry & Meghan’.
Harry’s now infamous tell-all memoir, Spare, is also not one to forget off the shocking list.
However, Meg has seemingly disappeared from the spotlight in actions that differ to ones we saw at the expense of the Royal Family.
She teased the California-based lifestyle brand, American Riviera Orchard in March, initially trademarking a range of home décor and kitchen essentials, and even “non-medicated” skincare.
But she has suffered a blow in a bid to trademark her new homewares empire – after trying to claim ownership of the entire American Riviera.
In a setback officials pointed out that the wording of her brand is a common nickname for Santa Barbara in California.
Further hitches include Meg and her team filling in the official forms incorrectly, and failing to send enough cash.
And their application wasn’t even signed.
Following the success of Meg’s first venture, The Tig, the Duchess has aligned herself with wholesome, prim and proper aesthetics, similar to the uber-successful, Martha Stewart.
Amelia has pinpointed this strategic move as a bid to align her long-standing principles with her burgeoning new brand.
By temporarily retreating from the public eye, she is creating a sense of anticipation and curiosity around her new venture.
This strategy allows her to re-emerge with a well-crafted narrative that aligns with her brand’s values of family, organic living, and empowerment.
Having been recently reinvigorated by not one, but two, “faux royal” tours to Colombia and Nigeria – Meg has signalled a significant reentry into the public eye.
By engaging with the media on her terms, Meghan can flex her ability to captivate attention, a skill that is likely to be a cornerstone of her future business endeavours.
By flirting with the media now, she is creating buzz and anticipation, reminding the public of every inch of her star power.
Practicing what she preaches
And in an exclusive chat with royal commentator Judita DaSilva, the journalist echoed how the former Suits star’s current low profile may also reflect her commitment to the values she always championed.
From her days as an actress to her short stint within The Firm, Meghan continuously advocated for women’s independence and self-sufficiency.
Judita explains: “She’s always been very assertive about saying that being self-sufficient is something to be celebrated.
“Women are intelligent, they’re capable and anything’s possible. So when you look at her life, that’s very reflective of that.”
This period of relative quiet and calm could be seen as Meghan upping the ante with her brand, as she hopes to connect the inner and outer image she’s so carefully crafted.
Power of personal branding
Everyone has a personal brand, whether with your colleagues, bosses or even baristas, Amelia says.
But, what does it all really mean? Well, it involves leveraging elements already in your control to build a scalable reputation.
“Building a personal brand involves strategically deciding what you want your brand to look like and taking actions to achieve that,” Amelia explains.
Authenticity is critical in personal branding – understanding your core values, passions and most importantly, strengths.
ANALYSIS: So, who’s going to buy her products?
By Rose O’Sullivan, Digital Production Editor
Who’s going to buy Meghan Markle’s stuff? Well, quite honestly, I’m a prime customer.
As an immigrant, I’m fascinated by Meg’s royal connection.
Many non-Brits like myself admire Kate the Great, enduring style icon Diana and no-fuss Camilla – so what she offers may just entice us too.
Meghan represents that ultimate fairy tale story: meeting her prince, marrying him in a stately do, and sailing off into the sunset, or in her case – California.
I like her style, incredible beauty and intrigue by the star power and capability she has – which is strikingly similar to Kate’s.
Simply put, I’m interested in her next move, as are many others.
Would I spend £20 on a jar of jam? Probably.
When the marketing is stellar, I’d purchase just about any ‘royal-ish’ product—including King Charles’ famed jam.
The key here is whether she’s tapping into the audience that finds her so intriguing – people like me who just want a little piece of royal action.
So, is launching American Riviera Orchard in America the key to her future success? Was this the end goal all along? Only time will tell.
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Lessons from the past
As Judita points out, Meghan’s current marketing strategy may be influenced by lessons learned from previous experiences.
“Pre-becoming a Duchess, then navigating through the stormy weather of being a royal and now post being a non-working royal, she’s always had to juggle nature versus nurture,” Judita says.
The public criticism she faced as a working royal may have likely informed her decision to control the narrative more tightly this time around.
By emulating successful strategies like the “Camilla formula” – staying steady, true, consistent, and quiet – Meghan could build long-term respect and credibility.
An issue Amelia also believes to be true.
Intending to be transparent and “authentic”, Meg and Harry shared too much personal information with the public in the past, which led to perceptions they couldn’t control, Amelia says.
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“They’ve taken a real backseat to that initial narrative that we all saw through 2023 and the back end of 2022.
“I think that she has made the mistake in previous years of giving too much away.”
But Meg may not mind being disliked here in the UK, as it aligns with the idea that polarisation can be a powerful tool, a sentiment echoed by Amelia, who stresses the importance of such differing opinions.
As Meghan herself might see it, Amelia believes she could be taking the stance of: “I don’t mind repelling them because they’re not the people that are gonna be paying my bills.”
I think that she has made the mistake in previous years of giving too much away
Amelia Sordell
By embracing this, she can focus on connecting with those who truly resonate with her message, ensuring her influence and brand are supported by those who matter most to her vision.
The road ahead
In a world where attention is the most valuable commodity, Meghan’s ability to command it, whether through her presence or absence, demonstrates her deep understanding of the media sphere.
As Judita aptly points out: ‘Love them or hate them, you pay attention to them’.
Meghan’s strategic silence may not only be a retreat but a prelude for something big to come with her new brand.
The Sussexes have been contacted for comment.
