‘Sussex Survivors Club’: Meghan Markle ‘bullying’ claims could tarnish lifestyle brand

The duchess is jammed up.

Meghan Markle, 42, has a new lifestyle brand called American Riviera Orchard, which will include products like jars of jam.

But “bullying” claims may hurt the brand, a royal expert says.

“Where there’s smoke, there’s fire,” business development consultant Hilary Fordwich told Fox News Digital.

“There have been too many examples of the ‘Sussex Survivors Club’ for the allegations not to be true … In contrast, not even one such report has ever been raised regarding Kate Middleton.”

Fordwich was referring to former palace aide Samantha Cohen, who confirmed in a recent interview with the Australian Herald Sun that she was one of 10 staffers who were questioned about allegations that Markle “bullied” staffers during her time in the palace.

In 2017, Cohen, who had previously worked for Queen Elizabeth, was tasked with getting Markle ready for the royal family.

Royal expert Tom Bower wrote in the Daily Mail on Tuesday, “Certainly, I believe that Ms. Cohen was soon exasperated, within six months or so, and that Meghan either disagreed with, or failed to understand, the non-negotiable elements of royalty. I also believe that members of Samantha Cohen’s team viewed this as an irresponsible self-indulgence. Both sides would blame a clash of cultures.”

Cohen, who resigned in 2018, compared her former job to “working with teenagers,” according to “Courtiers: The Hidden Power Behind the Crown” by Valentine Low.

Cohen told the Herald Sun that she stayed longer than planned.

“I was only supposed to stay for six months but stayed for 18 — we couldn’t find a replacement for me, and when we did, we took them on tour to Africa with Prince Harry and Meghan to show them the ropes, but they left as well while in Africa.”

The Times reported in 2020 that communications secretary Jason Knauf put together a file after three female staffers alleged that Markle was “bullying” them.

In email correspondences, Knauf alleged to the palace’s human resources department that Meghan bullied two PAs “out of the household.”

At the time, Harry and Markle denied the allegations, and reps for Markle said they were the “latest attack on her character.”

However, Cohen’s new interview has brought the “bullying” claims back into the spotlight, right as Markle is launching her lifestyle brand. And experts think it could tarnish her budding business, American Riviera Orchard.

It’s currently unclear if Markle’s new products will be up for sale on Harry’s home soil.

The American Riviera Orchard website is currently static, only asking visitors to provide their email if they want to be notified about “products, availability, and updates” from the brand.

The brand’s bio reads, “By Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex.”