Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, appeared earlier this year in a message from Clevr Blends, a wellness brand in which the royal family invested, on social media. It was her first moment in the spotlight since her husband’s publication Prince Harry’s tell-all memoir Spare, her return in the form of a video that pays tribute to her role in the growth of the brand.
At the end of 2020, Meghan invested in Clevr, which makes instant ‘superlattes’. And following the brand’s social media post, the Duchess was praised for her “uplifting” appearance and for making “a difference” in her role as a public figure.
Christine Ross and Christina Garibaldi, hosts of the Royally Us podcast, discussed Meghan’s appearance earlier this month.
Mrs Ross explained that Clevr was one of the Duchess’s “first investments she made after royal life”.
The brand makes “wellness” coffee, which is said to help with energy, stress and sleep, a product Meghan “personally” loves.
Ms Garibaldi said of the royal’s appearance in the video: “I think it was really interesting to hear from the founder what kind of impact this can have on a brand. We talk about the ‘Meghan effect’ and the ‘Kate effect’ – the economic phenomenon that the royals bring when they support a brand, or wear an outfit, things like that.
Ms Mendoza added: “Meghan ended up being our first investor, advisor and biggest advocate.”
She further revealed that shortly after she started working with the Duchess, Clevr got his second celebrity client.
In December 2020, Meghan sent a gift to her boyfriend Oprah Winfreyof which the legendary talk show host is one Instagram video, in which she clarified that she got the gift basket from “my neighbor M,” before adding, “Yeah that M,” alongside a crown emoji.
The video showed Oprah frothing one of Clevr’s turmeric lattes. Ms Mendoza said: “She even sent our turmeric latte to friends. And a few days later I open my phone and see Oprah making our Gold SuperLatte herself in her own kitchen. No problem. We’ve lost it.”
Oprah became such a fan of the drink that she gave it a coveted spot on her Oprah’s Favorite Things list for 2021.
“Our small but mighty team wasn’t 100% ready for this and ended up selling out for two months,” Ms. Mendoza explained before adding their multi-million dollar sales that were largely due to “the power of women elevating women.”
In a 2021 press release announcing her support for the brand, Meghan spoke of her desire to support women-led businesses.
She said: “This investment is in support of a passionate female entrepreneur who prioritizes community building alongside her business. I’m proud to invest in Hannah’s commitment to sourcing ethical ingredients and creating a product I personally love that takes a holistic approach to wellness. I believe in her and I believe in her company.”
Clevr, which now has 67,000 followers Instagramnow sells its products not only online, but also through mainstream retailers.
Ms Ross recalled that the brand was “almost immediately” talked about by “A-List celebrities” following the announcement of Meghan’s support. “It really shows that the support of a member of the royal family – or ex-member – makes a difference.”
The Duchess’ investment – the size of which was not revealed – came to light in late 2020, just months after she and Harry stepped down as full-time working royals and moved to California.
Ms. Mendoza had previously paid tribute to Meghan for her significant contribution to the company. In an interview with Fortune in 2021 she said: “Having the Duchess as a mentor and advisor has been great. She’s so smart, she’s so passionate and she has such a good heart. Having her as an advisor is one of the most incredible things to come out of all of this.