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Back in 2020, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry made the decision for their happiness and their family that they would move to the United States and disconnect from their royal roles. Of course, plenty of people supported the couple’s decision to put themselves and their son, Prince Archie, first; however, there were also many who did not approve of the decision.

These days, Harry and Meghan live a quieter life in California (they have since welcomed daughter Princess Lilibet), and Meghan’s recent Instagram launch suggests a new brand is on the horizon. Here’s why it could be the one thing that changes the public’s perception of the Duchess of Sussex.

Meghan Markle
Meghan Markle | Samir Hussein/WireImage

Meghan Markle’s new brand gives her a chance to define herself on her own terms

Before Meghan married Harry, she was a relatively famous actor who owned her own lifestyle blog called The Tig. It allowed her to be who she was, without the confines of the royal family. That all changed when she walked down the aisle, and it also meant the public was only seeing her in whatever light the press painted her in. With her own brand, she can choose to show who she is in her own way.

“Meghan Markle always had a sense of fashion and style before she married Harry,” PR expert Courtney Haywood-Ford told Mirror. “Fans might anticipate genuine, relatable posts that resonate with them, much like her previous work with The Tig. Keeping things transparent, authentic, and focused on meaningful connections could help maintain a positive public image.”

Still, it’s important to note that we don’t actually even know what her brand, American Riviera Orchard, is. Though it has a website, the website doesn’t say much, and the Instagram has certainly been quiet since its launch.

Meghan Markle
Meghan Markle | Chris Jackson/Getty Images for the Invictus Games Foundation

Meghan Markle’s new business venture signals she isn’t leaving the United States

Ever since Harry and Meghan stepped back from their roles, there has been conversation that they could make a royal return. However, it seems that Meghan placing “American” in her business name suggests that she plans to keep those American roots. It’s unlikely that she would relocate back to the United Kingdom while running a business with a name focused on the United States.

Harry and Meghan have hardly spoken out about everything happening with the royal family. Harry did a brief interview with Good Morning America after his father’s cancer diagnosis, where he revealed that he loves his family; the Sussexes also released a statement saying they hope Kate can recover from cancer privately.  But for the most part, the two have stayed out of it. That doesn’t mean they aren’t having conversations with the royals behind the scenes, but it certainly looks like they are trying to keep their public image separate from the royal family.