One of the things I didn’t understand about the Duchess of Sussex’s April jam-baskets was whether she sent everything out all at once and people were just posting the baskets gradually, or whether there was an actual schedule of “this week, I’ll send jam-baskets to five people, and next week we’ll do these people.” Given how spread out the Instagram posts were, I suspect that the jam-baskets didn’t go out all at the same time. It extended the American Riviera Orchard buzz, and I sort of believe that most people posted their jam-baskets as they got them (as opposed to waiting a few days). That being said, I doubt Meghan gave instructions to people as to how they posted on social media. I bring up all of this stuff because, as we discussed, Meghan sent Nacho Figueras an ARO jar of raspberry jam and ARO-branded dog biscuits. Nacho posted on social media just hours before the Princess of Wales made her grand appearance at Trooping the Colour on Saturday. So now people are mad that Villainess Meghan purposefully stole Kate’s thunder. But I’m stuck on the logistics of it – Meghan had no way of knowing when Nacho would post, right? Still, I’m enjoying the hissy fit from the Keen Camp:
Meghan Markle’s new range of American Riviera Orchard dog biscuits and a new jam flavor—raspberry—were unveiled on Instagram Saturday, just hours before her sister-in-law, the Princess of Wales Kate Middleton, returned to the public eye. Meghan immediately faced criticism online and from Kate’s supporters that she was attempting to detract from Kate’s big appearance at Trooping the Colour, the king’s official birthday parade.
A friend of Kate’s described the Instagram post by a friend of Meghan and Harry’s as “absolutely pathetic.” While some social media users expressed excitement at the new products (even though they do not appear to be available for purchase), others were quick to criticize the timing of the post.
On Saturday it appeared that Meghan had renewed the viral social media campaign she launched earlier this year which saw a carefully curated club of friends post images of “limited edition” strawberry jam, branded American Riviera Orchard (ARO). Saturday’s image was posted by polo player Nacho Figueras, who shared images of ARO jam and dog biscuits on his Instagram Stories. His jam was apparently raspberry flavored and was at a new level of exclusivity compared to the previous round of jam-recipients, bedecked with a label saying it was jar “2 of 2.” The dog biscuits were shown in a large glass jar, along with his dog Nina Iggy.
Kate’s office did not respond to a request for comment but a friend of Kate’s told The Daily Beast: “Catherine has been absolutely amazing. Her statement was extraordinary and her appearance today was graceful and elegant and has filled people with hope. You just have to ask yourself, who would set out to ruin a cancer-sufferer’s day? It is absolutely pathetic.”
Meghan’s office have been contacted for comment on whether Figueras’ post was deliberately timed to coincide with Trooping the Colour. They have not responded.
“You just have to ask yourself, who would set out to ruin a cancer-sufferer’s day? It is absolutely pathetic.” Presuming that Meghan “set out” to do anything other than send her friend Nacho some jam and dog biscuits, I guess. Nacho is the one who posted the stuff – Meghan and Harry haven’t said anything or been seen in public in more than a month. I was curious about where Meghan sent the new ARO gifts too – Nacho and Delfina have been in New York for the past four or five days, so did Meghan send the gifts to New York and it was more like a “happy accident” that they arrived when they did? It actually feels like Nacho, and not Meghan, was the one being purposefully shady with how HE timed the IG Stories.
Also: if Meghan sending a friend some dog biscuits “ruined” Kate’s day, then that is what is actually pathetic. You’re the one ruining your own day if you’re mad that the sister-in-law you tormented and smeared simply sent some jam to a friend. By the way, I get the feeling that the Sussexes have actually been trying to be quieter than they originally intended this year because of all of the shenanigans with Kate and King Charles.
Tom Sykes at the Daily Beast has a “source” telling him that “Meghan did not order up the post from Figueras, and in fact had no input over when or if he would post.” Sykes continued: “Of course, ceding exact control over context and timings is an inherent risk in a user-led social media campaign, especially when your cheerleaders are powerful celebrities in their own right who might not react well to having their posts micro-managed.” As I said, it was Nacho being shady, not Meghan.
Photos courtesy of Cover Images, Nacho’s IG.