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A “furious” Meghan Markle reportedly wants to confront King Charles over his latest Highgrove launch seemingly overshadowing the Duchess’s own preserves, but Prince Harry is holding her back from a grizzly confrontation.
The Duchess of Sussex, 42, was earlier this year ridiculed as “pretentious” for soft launching a line of strawberry jams as the first product in her new lifestyle brand American Riveria Orchard.
A source on Friday told New Idea her jam jars hand-numbered one through 50 have been overshadowed by the King’s latest product – organic Highgrove Royal Estate Honey.
The source said “as far as Meghan is concerned” it is “no coincidence” Charles’ authorisation for the release of his $50 honey coincided with the launch of her jam, and she is “furious” about it.
“She is trying to establish herself as a lifestyle mogul, but now she’s competing with a royal rival,” they said.
The source said the Duchess is “convinced” Charles also recently launched Highgrove Splash, a new men’s cologne, in a “deliberate attempt to curb her success” with a double offering.
“She had no idea [about this] and now suddenly, as she sees it, there’s a glut of his products on the market.
“She’s one step away from calling Charles about the clash but Prince Harry is holding her back.”
Meghan reportedly has long-term plans to rival her father-in-law’s successful brand and develop her own men’s grooming range.
According to trademark filings, she has also earmarked plans to sell a range of products include homewares, cooking utensils, make up and even pet food under her new brand.
Sky News presenter Gabriella Power on Thursday launched a scathing attack on Meghan, saying Charles’ product launches were not “actually about” her but “why not take it as an excuse to make it” so.
“Power to her for trying to get a brand up and running that isn’t about making money for rubbishing the royal family.”
It comes as the King has long sold organic food industry since he created Duchy Originals 34 years ago in 1990,
And Meghan’s social media campaign in March allegedly boosted the sales of the monarch’s long standing products by accident.
In a major business blunder, the mother of two sent 50 of her jars to influencers and socialites in her celebrity studded circle including Fashion Designer Tracy Robbins, which deviated “great business” to the King’s venture.
Royal commentator Richard Eden said Meghan’s “publicity stunt” “encouraged royalists to purchase the King’s jam instead” and they all sold out.
“So many of them have done so that Highgrove Organic Strawberry Preserve was ‘sold out’, according to the retailer’s website yesterday, even though 340g jars cost £6.95 each,” he said.
According to royal insider Tom Quinn, Meghan “was in tears when the brand launched and her new jam was widely mocked for being expensive and nothing special.”
He said she “cannot understand” the public backlash from her ventures including tell-all interviews with Oprah Winfrey and a Netflix series
“(Meghan) cannot understand why people don’t admire her work,” he told the Mirror newspaper.
“She still seems to be finding the backlash hard as she reportedly feels constantly criticised and as if she is ‘unfairly’ picked on.”
The Duchess of Sussex has an approval rating of about 31 per cent among the British public, while Harry’s approval is currently even lower at just 23 per cent.