It’s Not In King Charles’ Nature to Upstage Daughter-in-Law Meghan Markle and Her Lifestyle Brand American Riviera Orchard with Competing Retail Products, Royal Commentator Says

Remember the battle of the strawberry jams earlier this year? When, back in April—after Meghan Markle’s forthcoming lifestyle brand American Riviera Orchard sent 50 jars of strawberry jam out to friends, influencers, and celebrities—the Buckingham Palace Shop started promoting its own strawberry jam on social media? (Seriously—we cannot make this up.)

Well, as far as what OK calls the “royal jam rivalries,” royal commentator Angela Levin said not to read too much into it: “I don’t think he would dream to do that, to take it away from her,” royal commentator Angela Levin said. “It’s not in his nature.”

The King has been in the business of selling product longer than any of us would probably think—OK reports that Charles has long sold a line of organic products from his Duchy Originals line starting back when he was Prince of Wales in the 1990s. In 2010, his company entered into a partnership with Waitrose—a line of British supermarkets—to sell his products. The King’s Highgrove Organic Strawberry Preserve retails for around $8.60 “and was reportedly sold out within minutes of Meghan’s first announcement of her strawberry jam,” OK reports. (Meghan’s strawberry jam from American Riviera Orchard isn’t currently available to purchase—it was just on display as part of the aforementioned influencer campaign.) 

Meghan’s campaign was likely promoted with so few jars of the jam to “create hype,” public relations expert Megan Boyle said.

“The suggestion that the jam has only been sent to 50 people creates demand and interest,” she said. “It may have been a low-key launch, but it perfectly aligns with the softer and homely approach of those celebrities on the receiving end. Meghan will have put a great deal of thought into who receives a jar, and individually numbering shows that it’s limited edition, but also doesn’t leave people feeling left out.”

Speaking of not leaving people feeling left out, there’s room for everybody’s strawberry jam—Meghan’s and the King’s. For now, we can all enjoy Charles’, and when American Riviera Orchard’s is available to buy, you’d better believe we’ll be ready to sample it.