MEGHAN Markle and Prince Harry stepped back from royal duties four years ago and now keep busy with various projects from their home in California.
However, a royal expert has claimed that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex are becoming “increasingly irrelevant” and will never outshine the Prince and Princess of Wales.
Meghan recently announced the launch of her latest pet project – dog treats – hours before Kate’s brave return to public duty, with some calling it “ill-timed”.
Former BBC Royal Correspondent Jennie Bond told OK!: “I can’t honestly imagine that they are sitting there scheming to make announcements on the same day as a royal event.
“Surely they are bigger than that?
“It’s true that there have been some rather strange coincidences in the past about the timing of some of their announcements.
“But I think they are becoming less and less relevant to the news over here, and the Royal Family will command the attention every time.”
Over the years there has been a number of announcement clashes, such as Meghan’s announcing her luxury lifestyle brand American Riviera Orchard just before Prince William spoke at an awards ceremony in honour of his mother Diana, Princess of Wales.
The move was slammed by royal experts as yet another attempt to steal the limelight, with one branding it “calculated” and another claiming it would have “saddened Diana”.
Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams criticised the timing, saying there was “nothing accidental” about it.
He said: “The announcement of the new brand is totally consistent with the timing of all the Sussexes’ announcements.”
Ahead of the publication of Prince Harry’s controversial memoir Spare, he sat down for long interviews with ITV‘s Tom Bradby and Anderson Cooper, for US channel CBS, in January last year – the day before the Princess of Wales’ 41st birthday.
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In a series of shocking accusations against his family, he claimed royals sought to protect their own reputation “to the detriment” of the Sussexes and that they were “complicit” in their “pain and suffering”.
As the interviews made global headlines, the official Royal Family’s social media channels posted a simple birthday wish for Kate, writing: “Wishing the Princess of Wales a very happy birthday.”
But the timing didn’t escape the attention of royal fans, with one tweeting: “I can’t believe Harry is doing this to Kate on the eve of her birthday…”
Meghan announced she is launching American Riviera Orchard in March, and teased it on Instagram with a promotional video, however products are not yet available to the public.
So far, Meghan has sent jams and dog treats to close friends and family.
According to a report from Page Six, Meghan’s company will focus on home, garden, food, and general lifestyle content.
The brand will reportedly sell home goods, such as cookbooks, food and kitchenware.
A trademark application for ‘American Riviera Orchard’ showed Meghan could sell cutlery, decanters, legume-based spreads and even napkin rings.
This follows Meghan, 42, closing her former lifestyle page, The Tig, in April 2017, shortly after she started dating Prince Harry.
What is Meghan Markle’s new business?
Meghan Markle has launched a new Instagram brand called American Riviera Orchard.Industry insiders said the site will focus on home, food, garden and lifestyle goods.
A source told the Mail: “It’s a lifestyle and cooking brand called American Riviera Orchard.
“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. And at some point there will be a book and blog etc.”
