THE INSTA DUCHESS

Meghan has decided to separate business from marriage by setting up a luxury lifestyle brand that could make her a fortune

- NICI DE WET

OFF we go once again to California, where one of Montecito’s most famous residents is hard at work in her home – mixing batter in the kitchen, arranging roses in a vase, posing in a wafting ballgown in the hallway. It’s all beautifully styled and tantalisingly shot, offering viewers glimpses of the kitchen with its earthy tones and high-ceilinged rooms filled with light and air.

And front and centre of it all is Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, back on Instagram after a six-year hiatus and ready to tackle a whole new project.

And this time, it makes much more sense. Meghan has done quite a lot since she left the royal family – rubbished her in-laws, signed big bucks deals, made a hash of some of them, made speeches – but it seems she’s finally found something that suits her.

Let’s face it, her podcasts were a bit cringey and her philanthropic efforts and community ventures seemed a little fake, even if she did have her heart in the right place.

But a lifestyle brand? That’s more like it. American Riviera Orchard, which she launched on Instagram recently, is being dubbed The Tig 2.0, a reference to the lifestyle blog she had to shut down when she and Harry got engaged. It promises to feature all the things that are close to her heart, such as flowers, food and homeware.

The site itself boasts a fancy gold logo and royal-looking crest as well as the curly initials A and R, believed to have been created by keen calligraphist Meghan.

It’s pure rustic charm with a hefty dollop of California chic – and it’s quintessentially the Duchess of Sussex.

RA-RA RIVIERA