Meghan Markle’s new brand delayed by leadership challenges and staff resignations
Meghan Markle, the wife to Prince Harry, set the internet on a stir on March 14 when a teaser of her new brand; American Riviera Orchard was released. This lifestyle and kitchen brand seems to be inspired by the couple’s residence in a house in California coastal region. However, again, a report from the New York Post, highlighted that the Duchess has been struggling to secure a CEO which has hampered the brands expansion and product release.
A source revealed that Meghan ,43, cannot find the right leadership for the brand and that has been a cause for the hold up.
"The numbers don't lie and to have almost 20 members of staff quitting on them tells its own story. It's unprecedented, even for a startup," another watcher commented. Another insider concurred by revealing that, "The brutal reality is Harry and Meghan are the toughest of taskmasters, they're very demanding and difficult to work for and that puts a lot of people's backs up."
Remarkably, the newly appointed head of staff for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle resigned after just three months. A seasoned public relations specialist named Josh Kettler was hired by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex shortly before their three-day trip to Nigeria in May. But it was revealed a few weeks ago that Mr. Kettler was no longer working for the Sussexes.
Santa Barbara native Mr. Kettler was brought on board to "assist Prince Harry through his next phase" and he went with the 39-year-old father of two on his quick trip to London in May to commemorate the Invictus Games' tenth anniversary.
However, the business of the strawberry jam jars delivered by Ms Markle to only a few of the celebrities in March can be considered as the brand’s starting point strong.” The mother of two also suggested a rose wine line and sent the dog biscuits to her friends.
In earlier this year, the name of the said brand was revealed through a 14-second retro-style video clip which depicted hands of some women arranging flowers, and the duchess of the Meghan Markle cooking something in the kitchen. It ended with a glimpse of a women in a ball gown standing at the end of a colonnade that seemed to go on for ever.
Besides, the official American Riviera Orchard account that is represented on Instagram posted nine enlarged photos of the emblem that is composed of close-ups in total. Its bio also stated that it was written "by Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex. Established 2024."
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South African police arrest suspect in mass shooting that killed 12, including 3 children
Johannesburg (AP): A 32-year-old suspect has been arrested in connection with a mass shooting which claimed the lives of 12 people including three children at an unlicensed pub earlier this month, South African police said on Monday.
The man is suspected of being one of the three people who opened fire on patrons in a pub at Saulsville township, west of South Africa's capital Pretoria, killing 12 people including three children aged 3, 12 and 16.
At least 13 people were also injured during the attack, whose motive remains unknown.
According to the police, the suspect was arrested on Sunday while traveling to Botlokwa in Limpopo province, more than 340 km from where the mass shooting took place on Dec 6.
An unlicensed firearm believed to have been used during the attack was recovered from the suspect's vehicle.
“The 32-year-old suspect was intercepted by Limpopo Tracking Team on the R101 Road in Westenburg precinct. During the arrest, the team recovered an unlicensed firearm, a hand gun, believed to have been used in the commission of the multiple murders. The firearm will be taken to the Forensic Science Laboratory for ballistic analysis,” police said in statement.
The suspect was arrested on the same day that another mass shooting at a pub took place in the Bekkersdal township, west of Johannesburg, in which nine people were killed and 10 wounded when unknown gunmen opened fire on patrons.
Police have since launched a search for the suspects.
South Africa has one of the highest homicide rates in the world and recorded more than 26,000 homicides in 2024 — an average of more than 70 a day. Firearms are by far the leading cause of death in homicides.
The country of 62 million people has relatively strict gun ownership laws, but many killings are committed with illegal guns, according to authorities.
According to police, mass shootings at unlicensed bars are becoming a serious problem. Police shut down more than 11,000 illegal taverns between April and September this year and arrested more than 18,000 people for involvement in illegal liquor sales.
