It would appear that the first product from Meghan Markle’s mysterious American Riviera Orchard lifestyle brand is here, and it’s not an empty jar, nor is it a dog collar, flatware, aromatherapy diffuser, or yoga mat, all items the brand was interested in potentially offering, according to trademark filings.
No, there’s something in this jar. And that something is strawberry jam.
Tracy Robbins, a fashion designer and pal of Meghan and husband Prince Harry, who also happens to be married to Paramount Pictures CEO Brian Robbins, shared a photo of a jar of jam nestled in a basket amongst some truly gargantuan lemons on her Instagram Story on Monday.
“Thank you for the delicious basket! I absolutely love this jam so not sure I’m sharing with anyone!” she wrote alongside the snap. “Thank you, M!” she added, tagging American Riviera Orchard’s Instagram page as well as hashtagging the brand name for good measure.
In a subsequent Story, she shared a closeup of the jar, commenting “breakfast, lunch, and dinner just got a little sweeter.”
The jar of jam looks like…a jar of jam, to be honest. There are only so many ways a jar of jam can look, it’s not like we expected the thing to be disguised as a race car. Hexagonal jar, off-white label (which appears to be coming unstuck in Robbins’s photo, perhaps a result of that all-meals, no-sharing usage she alluded to), rustic cheesecloth square tied over the lid with a fussy little off-white bow to show that this is rustic but nice, the usual. A jar that could stay on the table after you use it to dress up your crumpets. The label appears to be embossed and bears both the American Riviera Orchard cypher-inspired logo and the brand name spelled out, in a font that looks to be emulating Meghan’s own admittedly Pinterest-worthy hand lettering, with “Montecito,” home of both the Sussex family and this particular jar of mystery jam, fanned out in austere capital letters below. The jam is also evidently a limited edition: A handwritten addition to the label marks Robbins’s condiment as number 17 of 50, and another lucky recipient, Delfina Blaquier, is in possession of jar number 10, according to her own Instagram Story update.
Blaquier is married to polo player-slash-Harry-bestie Nacho Figueras, and may, in fact, have received her American Riviera Orchard goods in person, as the two couples spent time together last Friday at a charity polo match. Figueras is also involved in the couple’s recently announced Netflix series about the world of professional polo.
Blaquier’s additions to recent jam lore include a vibey still life of the jam spread on a piece of white toast with sliced fresh strawberries artfully arranged beside it, with a glass of green juice at the ready to wash down the rustic snack. The jar’s lid, conveniently placed next to the plate, also bears the ARO monogram on the fabric. The next photo, also a jar-in-hand shot, mirroring Robbins’s, has Blaquier’s own review: “Strawberry jam makes me happy,” she wrote, adding, “And I <3 your jam, @americanrivieraorchard.”
Now all we have to do is wait for the other 48 members of Club Jamfriend to reveal themselves (we’d put money on Tyler Perry, Oprah, and Misha Nonoo, for starters). Oh, and for the public launch of American Riviera Orchard, which is reportedly happening soon.
A representative for Meghan Markle did not immediately respond to Vanity Fair’s request for comment.
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