On Saturday night, Meghan Markle attended one of Oprah Winfrey’s book club events at Godmothers bookstore in Summerland, California. For the literary evening, the Duchess of Sussex wore a look from Club Monaco, appearing chic and stylish in a sleeveless tuxedo jumpsuit in navy blue.
Meghan had her hair swept back in a low ponytail and wore diamond stud earrings. A photo of her addressing the audience was shared in the Instagram Stories of author Laura Lynne Jackson. The event included actor Marco Leone and astrologer Dr. Jennifer Freed, as well. Prince Harry did not appear at the event, though his memoir Spare was predominantly on display.
Meghan and Harry were famously interviewed by Oprah in 2021, sharing their reasons for stepping back from royal duties and making the big decision to move to California. At the time, Meghan was struggling with her mental health after being under constant pressure from tabloid scrutiny.
“I share this because there’s so many people who are afraid to voice that they need help,” she said of her decision to come forward.
The couple now live in Montecito with their children, Archie and Lilibet. Meghan has been working to launch a new lifestyle brand, American Riviera Orchard, which is inspired by a name for the Santa Barbara area. It has reportedly been difficult for them to trademark the phrase, because it is a common nickname.
“Registration is refused because the applied-for mark is primarily geographically descriptive,” the USPTO (US Patent and Trademark Office) document response states. “Commonly used nicknames for geographic locations are generally treated as equivalent to the proper geographic name of the place identified…American Riviera is a common nickname for Santa Barbara, California.”
But the notes the company has received from the trademark office are also reportedly a routine part of the process when establishing a new brand.
Aimée Lutkin is the weekend editor at ELLE.com. Her writing has appeared in Jezebel, Glamour, Marie Claire and more. Her first book, The Lonely Hunter, will be released by Dial Press in February 2022.