Meghan and Harry doing some new stuff! Cooking and polo

[Geebray]

Being reported:

Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex, Launching Two Netflix Series (deadline.com)

Michael Palin's documentary about Nigeria is on Channel 5 now, btw.

The jam has made it to the BBC:

First product of Meghan's lifestyle brand revealed - BBC News

‘Preserve a sense of mystery’ even the BBC can’t help taking the piss😂

I’ve watched King Charles, Prince William and Harry all play polo. It is a rather dull sport to watch. Much more fun to play. Spectators often wear binoculars to see the action because a polo field is rather large so you are often seated quite far from the ball. Interestingly it is the one sport that the people who play it rarely seem to be seen also watching others play it. Spectators are family members, grooms, the odd fan and business/ social chasers who use the setting to network. Can’t think there would be much of an audience for a whole documentary series on it unless there was a Real Housewives of the Polo Club element to it, screaming and throwing champagne glasses at each other and wearing couture whilst performing sexual acts in horse boxes.

I mean to watch when members of the RF do hand-shaking walkabouts, to see who wears gloves and who doesn't. Seven vicars in a row near the door of a cathedral are different from 100 people all proffering hands in a crowd. I'm not even sure if they touch the clergymen, since Covid :)

I just read a few of the comments on Delfina’s instagram under the photo of Harry and Meghan and have to say even I am astounded by the negativity.

This will sound hypocritical because I’ll say whatever comes to mind here, but I wouldn’t do that to someone’s own social media.

What things are they saying, Alice?

I can't see anything about it in Delfinas instagram

I shook hands with Princess Diana, on a walkabout. It was a boiling hot day, she'd already shaken hands with many people, and her hands were absolutely icy cold.

They weren't her real hands though, they were tucked safely away in her cardie.

Another gift !
Muslin looks a bit skew- whiff .
Is that strawberry jam or something else ? Can anyone see the number ?

I think I might be a bit miffed if I received 50/50. It’s like “You’re fiftieth on my best friends list.”

No. 1? Jill Biden? Even though she and hubs wouldn’t let them on Airforce 1? Serena Williams… nah, not quite useful enough. Head of Netflix? Hmmmm.

Quite a few might be receiving the botulism-spiked jam though…

That arrangement looks like something a Brownie would put together for a badge. Not exactly sophisticated, is it.

What is it with Meghan and lemons? I suppose they, at least, are grown in an orchard (or a grove). Unlike strawberries. American Riviera Poly-tunnel doesn't have quite the same ring to it, I suppose.

Muslin looks a bit skew- whiff

It's rustic, innit? 😁

It's all so cringeworthy and twee isn't it.

I've no idea how anyone takes them seriously in the US.

At least she hasn't written uplifting messages on the lemons.

Yet

There's quite an amusing article in Times2 today titled "Meghan is spreading the love with her new jam" (I know: mainstream media <gasp>. Poor brainwashed me - what can I tell you? DH and I are very keen on the crossword. We do the Guardian one too, purely for balance, naturally).
I can't do a link due to their annoying paywall, but this bit amused me:

"Yet a recent promotional video for American Riviera Orchard - a name that is such focus-group word salad it has already been rejected as a Disneyland zone - does show the Duchess be-aproned and in the kitchen, as well as swanning through a Montecito mansion in strapless ballgown. Who's to say she hasn't had a hand in making it herself now she and Harry find themselves at the bottom of the pectin order?".

Oh dear oh dear oh dear. Both the BBC and the Times taking the piss. Is there any part of the UK media still taking them seriously? And will Harry be launching another lawsuit?

Will be interesting to see how many of the fifty gift baskets surface. How many of the recipients won't want to advertise it?

I don't see how she hopes to generate the kind of volume she will need to bring in the income they want. If she is looking for volume, she'll need a proper staff, with business, financial and product expertise.

It’s all a bit cringe isn’t it.

Someone pointed out on Reddit that the strawberry jam is an odd choice for a brand with Orchard in the name. Especially since we know they have a lemon grove and chickens at their property. Why not lemon curd? Which would be more likely to look like she made it herself?

I wonder where she buys her jam from?

Aldi?

Nah. Aldi’s Specially Selected Strawberry jam is really good. It doesn’t look like stewed rhubarb