Meghan Markle: Netflix may step in to run American Riviera Orchard, Sophie Gregoire Trudeau snubs royal

Meghan Markle may be forced to take drastic action over her lifestyle brand American Riviera Orchard as a “dear friend” appears to distance herself.

Meghan Markle has failed to find a CEO for her lifestyle brand American Riviera Orchard despite weeks of searching, say sources.

The Duchess of Sussex has spent over a month interviewing candidates for the top job at the new site, which will focus on home, food and goods.

A source in California close to Meghan told The Sun: “The initial CEO search has not panned out so far.”

In an extraordinary development, The Sun reports that Meghan has entered talks with streaming giant Netflix about setting up a commercial partnership with her new lifestyle brand.

Meghan Markle’s lifestyle brand is in need of a CEO. Picture: AFP

The source told The Sun: “(Netflix) would run the lifestyle business with Meghan, developing products as spin-offs from her show.

“If a partnership is agreed, it’s likely that Netflix would install its own CEO to run operations.”

It comes as former Canadian first lady Sophie Gregoire Trudeau told The Times she “hasn’t spent much time” with Meghan despite the Duchess describing her a “dear friend”.

Ms Gregoire Trudeau then went on to tell the interviewer she felt terrible for Princess Catherine after her cancer diagnosis.

Meghan Markle and Sophie Trudeau in 2016. Picture: Instagram

Princess Catherine and Prince William with the Trudeaus on their 2016 royal tour of Canada. Picture: Getty Images

“My heart just sunk when I saw what was happening,” Ms Gregoire Trudeau, who split from Canadian PM Justin Trudeau last August after 18 years of marriage, said.

During a segment on her Archetypes podcast in November 2022, Meghan claimed she had gone to Ms Gregoire Trudeau “over the years for advice” after they met in Toronto when Meghan was starring in Suits.

She also said her friend “used to send me little meditations during my pregnancy” and voice notes “of encouragement”.

In an interview with The Times, however, Ms Gregoire Trudeau played down her friendship with Meghan.

She said: “I know her ... but we haven’t spent much time together.”

In the podcast episode, titled ‘Good Wife/Bad Wife, Good Mom/Bad Mom’, Meghan described Ms Gregoire Trudeau as a “dear friend” as she discussed the issue of “mum guilt”.

Meghan said: “She knows what it feels like to be a mum and a partner.

“And specifically a mum and a partner in the public eye, and also how crushing the guilt of expectations can become the guilt that we feel as mothers or as women, in general, is self-imposed.”

Originally published as Meghan Markle: Netflix may step in to run American Riviera Orchard, Sophie Gregoire Trudeau snubs royal