Meghan Markle Slammed for 'Bizarre Timing' of Her Lifestyle Brand Announcement as It Overshadowed Princess Diana Tribute

Meghan Markle returned to Instagram to launch her new lifestyle brand, American Riviera Orchard, but the announcement overshadowed Prince Harry and Prince William's recent tribute to Princess Diana.

Pandora Forsyth slammed Meghan for the "bizarre” timing of her launch, which occurred the same day as the Diana Awards, on Thursday, March 14.

“I thought as soon as it happened, surely this would be an event in both of their calendars," Forsyth told GB News. “I would have thought the Diana Award and the Diana Legacy Award would be something that is crossed over. I’m really surprised."

“Harry was involved in this for many years," she added. "It was only a few years ago he was up on stage with William. How times have changed."

Forsyth believes the Sussexes should've considered the ceremony while planning their professional calendars.

“A big project like this would have had a date in the diary for many months," the commentator continued. “I do not see how in the Sussex world, how an amber flag wouldn’t have come up."

“I don’t see how it would have passed Harry too," she continued. "I’m quite shocked. This is Diana’s legacy so I am really surprised.”

Before marrying the Duke of Sussex, Meghan managed her blog, The Tig, and royal watchers predicted she would eventually return to the site.

“We knew she was going to launch a lifestyle brand," Forsyth noted. “You can buy homeware items and cookery items if you so wish."

“This will tie into Netflix as well where we will probably see Meghan cooking, if that takes your interest," she noted.

OK! previously reported an insider claimed Meghan spent months preparing to share American Riviera Orchard with her fans.

“She’s been working on this for over a year and it’s all the things that are close to her heart — all the things she’s passionate about," a source shared.

The mom-of-two's trademark filing includes home goods, edible items like jellies, jams, spreads and tableware.

Although Meghan's latest endeavor has a social media account, PR expert Rhea Freeman thought the Duchess of Sussex's recent SXSW appearance was an informal announcement she wouldn't return to the Meta app.

"Based on her recent comments, I don't think a comeback is imminent," Freeman told an outlet. "The detrimental impact that social media can have on people from a mental health point of view, whether celebrity or not, can be huge, but looking at how other high-profile people manage their accounts, some of the tasks are delegated."

While in Texas, Meghan revealed that comments made about her online impacted her mental health.

“Yes, social media is an environment that has a lot of that [toxicity] …I keep my distance from it right now just for my own well-being,” Meghan said on Friday, March 8, at SXSW.

“You have to really wrap your head around why people would be so hateful. It’s not catty — it’s cruel,” she continued. “And certainly when you’re pregnant or you have a newborn, as moms you know it’s such a tender and sacred time."

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Weeks before American Riviera Orchard became public, an insider said Meghan hoped to create a platform similar to Goop.

"From what I understand, I think Meghan will take on Martha Stewart, Gwyneth Paltrow and Ina Garten and play them at their own game," an industry insider told an outlet.

"This would not surprise me," a Hollywood source shared, adding that “she would have to be relatable and natural, the way Drew Barrymore is, it can’t feel contrived or like she’s acting.”