Buckingham Palace has posted an advertisement for its strawberry preserve, just days after Meghan Markle’s American Riviera Orchard brand unveiled its strawberry jam. The move has been seen as a subtle shade at Meghan, who has been sending out jars of her jam to high-profile influencer friends.
The Palace’s strawberry preserve is priced at £3.95 per jar, while Meghan’s jam is yet to be priced. Social media users have been quick to point out the decision to promote a strawberry preserve on the palace shop Instagram account, with some suggesting it is a subtle shade at Meghan.
One user said: “Is it just me that loves the subtle shade?” Another, referencing the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s Montecito home in California, commented: “Wait! Did the Palace just subtly troll Ms. Montecito”
A third said: “Oh my – the war on Insta-jam has begun.”
Meghan launched American Riviera Orchard on March 14, with a new Instagram account and a sleek website shared on the day of launch. While it is yet to be seen if the jam will be marketed publicly, former BBC royal correspondent Michael Cole believes the former royal might try and market the jar for £200 each.
He told GB News: “I’m not sure a single jar has been sold yet and we don’t even know what the price is going to be.
“There’s a celebrity supermarket called Erewhon which is nowhere back to front and they sell jars of honey that have been made by the bees owned by celebrities for up to £200 ($250) a jar.”
The Palace’s strawberry preserve is made with British strawberries and is said to be “delicious in the morning” or “the perfect accompaniment” to a Victoria sponge or a scone. It is unclear if the preserve will be sold outside of the UK.
