Nacho Figueras is the latest high profile figure to show off PR gifts sent by Meghan Markle’s brand American Riviera Orchard.
The professional polo player, who is a close friend of Prince Harry, shared images of jam and dog biscuits, thought to be from the Duchess’ company, via his Instagram Stories.
He is among 50 or so people believed to have received a PR package from the fledgling lifestyle brand soft launched by the Duchess, 42, earlier this year.
An earlier batch of jam, packed in baskets of lemons, is believed to have been sent to some 50 recipients.
This is because the handwritten labels on the jars suggested that the batch contained 50 jars, with each one given a number, for example, number 11 of 50.
The previous jam sent out was strawberry, however, this latest batch is raspberry – and Nacho was lucky to receive the very exclusive new flavour, with his jar bearing a label that read: ‘2 of 2.’
The jar of raspberry jam sent to Nacho from American Riviera Orchard.
Meanwhile, the dog biscuits were packaged in a large glass jar, also boasting a handwritten label thought to be in Meghan’s cursive script.
The treats, which were photographed next to Nacho’s dog Nina Iggy, are a new addition to American Riviera Orchard’s line-up of products.
Nacho’s post coincided with today’s Trooping the Colour event in London.
This year marks the second year that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were not invited to the annual celebration, which marks the birthday of the reigning monarch.
It comes after claims Prince Harry, who did not meet with his father during his whirlwind visit to London last month, turned down an invitation by His Majesty to stay at a royal residence during the trip because he had ‘security concerns’.
Meghan and Harry first attended Trooping the Colour together in 2018, one month after their royal wedding in Windsor. They once again appeared on the Buckingham Palace balcony in 2019, weeks after welcoming their first child.
Polo player Nacho posted this image of the dog biscuits from American Riviera Orchard on Instagram Stories
Like the jam, American Riviera Orchard’s dog treats come packaged in a glass jar bearing a handwritten label (pictured: Nacho Figueras’ dog Nina Iggy)
Prince Harry is pictured with Nacho Figueras (centre) and Meghan Markle
In 2020 and 2021, the event was scaled down due to the coronavirus pandemic. It was held at Windsor Castle, without the usual large gathering of royal family members.
But the ceremony was brought back to all its glory in 2022 to mark the late Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee.
The Duke and Duchess travelled to the UK to attend the special event – but did not join the Royal Family on the Buckingham Palace balcony, instead watching the occasion with other non-working royals in a room above the Horse Guards Parade.
Nacho’s post sharing his jam and dog biscuits follows the tenth recipient of the jam – Meghan’s friend the celebrity pilates instructor Heather Dorak – being revealed by MailOnline.
After receiving her package, Dorak posted a picture on Instagram of her two sons Noah and Cody eating the limited edition treat on toast, saying it was ‘kid tested’ and ‘mother approved’.
The Pilates Platinum owner also revealed her jam was numbered ‘7 out of 50’, as she became the tenth person to be identified as one of Meghan’s ‘jamfluencers’.
Dorak wrote in the accompanying caption: ‘Kid tested, mother approved! Thank you for the tasty homemade jam @AmericanRivieraOrchard. Love you, M!’
It comes as the Duchess of Sussex continues to try to build momentum for her new business venture American Riviera Orchard ahead of a full launch, expected later this year.
Meghan has also sent jam to at least nine other friends who have posted about it online – Kelly McKee Zajfen; Abigail Spencer; Delfina Balquier; Kris Jenner; Garcelle Beauvais; Tracy Robbins; Mindy Kaling; Chrissy Teigen; and Tracee Ellis Ross.
Earlier this year, MailOnline predicted Dorak would help with the jam launch given that she is one of Meghan’s best friends and they went skiing together earlier this year.
Heather Dorak posted a picture on Instagram today of her two sons Noah and Cody eating the American Riviera Orchard jam, saying it was ‘kid tested, mother approved’
Pilates Platinum owner Heather Dorak revealed her jam was numbered ‘7 out of 50’, as she became the tenth person to be identified as one of Meghan’s ‘jamfluencers’
Heather Dorak thanked her friend Meghan for the ‘tasty homemade jam’ in an Instagram post
The Duchess was pictured smiling with Dorak and another friend, Kelly McKee Zajfen, on the slopes of Powder Mountain near Salt Lake City in Utah in February.
Dorak also attended Meghan’s royal wedding to Prince Harry at St George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle in May 2018 with her husband Matt Cohen.
Originally from Texas, she is now based in California where she owns six studios under the Pilates Platinum brand.
Dorak was spotted hiking with Meghan near the royal couple’s £12million mansion in Montecito, California, in May 2023 after they celebrated Prince Archie’s fourth birthday.
Dorak was a regular contributor to Meghan’s now-defunct lifestyle website The Tig, and the pair also appeared together on Meghan’s social media before she took down her accounts in the months before her wedding.
Meghan first attended Dorak’s pilates classes while acting in the TV drama Suits, and previously described them as ‘hands down the best thing you can do for your body’.
And Dorak spoke in Harry and Meghan’s Netflix documentary in December 2022, saying she was proud of the Duchess for persevering despite being turned down for acting roles before she secured her job on Suits.
Meghan pictured with Heather Dorak who owns six studios under the Pilates Platinum brand
3/50, Kelly McKee Zajfen – The co-founder of Alliance of Moms has also received Meghan’s jam
6/50, Abigail Spencer – Meghan’s dog Mamma Mia appeared in a jam photo with her friend
10/50, Delfina Balquier – The Argentinian socialite said: ‘Strawberry jam makes me happy’
13/50, Kris Jenner – Jenner is also among Meghan’s celebrity friends to be gifted with a jam jar
15/50, Garcelle Beauvais – The actress and co-host of The Real has received a jar of the jam
17/50, Tracy Robbins – The fashion designer was among the first to post a picture of the jam
19/50, Mindy Kaling – Meghan’s friend Kaling who starred in The Office has also got the jam
20/50, Chrissy Teigen – The model and her singer husband John Legend also received the jam
21/50, Tracee Ellis Ross – The daughter of Diana Ross has also received a jar of strawberry jam
Heather Dorak is one of Meghan’s best friends and they appeared in many social media photos
In March, Meghan announced her new business venture with an Instagram teaser video, showing the Duchess cooking and arranging white hydrangeas and roses, posted to the new American Riviera Orchard Instagram account.
The brief vintage-style footage was set to Nancy Wilson’s I Wish You Love and closed with the brand’s logo, American Riviera Orchard, written in fine gold script above the word Montecito – the celebrity enclave where the Duke and Duchess live.
Little information has been released about Meghan’s new project but a trademark application filed in February shows the company wishes to offer downloadable and printed recipe books, table wear, textiles, and jams and marmalades, according to the United States Patent and Trademark Office website.
Earlier this year, a branding expert said Meghan was distributing the jam to her friends as a way of highlighting her new business venture by giving them a ‘personal present’ that she likely produced herself with ingredients sourced from Montecito.
PR expert Nick Ede said the jars looked ‘very home made with a stylish crest and almost handwritten brand name’.
He added that the jam ‘will have most likely have been sourced in Montecito and produced by hand by Meghan herself to make them feel special and thought of.’
And Mr Ede claimed her strategy was ‘highlighting the brand rather than Meghan’ as she tries to get people to ‘buy into the ARO lifestyle not just her own personal brand’.
It has not all been smooth sailing since the brand’s soft launch: it was recently reported that an online seller was using the same name of Meghan Markle’s own lifestyle brand to sell a tongue-in-cheek adult item.
The online store, using the same name as the Duchess of Sussex‘s American Riviera Orchard, offers up adult coloring books – including one labelled Working Class Royalty – for sale, as first reported by The Independent.
An online store, which has the same name as the Duchess of Sussex’s brand American Riviera Orchard, has been selling adult coloring books – including one labelled Working Class Royalty
The site is known for selling anti-monarchy products, launched after the Duchess announced her own lifestyle brand.
The book, which retails for $9.99 on the website, says the book will ‘unveil the hidden royalty in everyday life with our Working Class Royalty coloring pages.’
‘This captivating collection celebrates the strength and grace of women from all walks of life, blending the regal allure of royalty with the resilience of the working class,’ the description continues to read.
‘Explore five enchanting scenes that honor the majesty found in everyday moments.’
The coloring book encourages users to ‘color to these empowering illustrations,’ hoping to remind every woman is ‘a queen in her own right.’