As she parts ways with Spotify – which is not renewing its multi-million-dollar deal for her Archetypes podcasts – and questions grow about the Sussexes’ future with Netflix, rumours continue to grow that The Tig will make a comeback.
The blog was a success last time around and could even boost what some take to be Meghan’s flagging popularity here and in America.
Her new talent agency, William Morris Endeavour, will certainly be keen to make the most of the commercial opportunities available.
Meghan launched the website, which she called her ‘passion project’, in 2014 when she was at the height of her fame as an actress in the US legal drama Suits.
For three successful years, she mixed artfully glamorous pictures with discussions of everything from personal resolutions to food, fashion, travel and politics.
But she pulled the plug on The Tig in 2017, just before her engagement to Prince Harry, signing off with a regretful ‘Thank you for everything’, two kisses and her signature which still remains visible online today.
It was judged at the time that personal political opinions and commercial endorsements would be incompatible with a royal role.
Today, however, the Sussexes’ growing distance from ‘The Firm’ means that disapproval from the Palace is much less of an obstacle.
Meghan recently dropped a hint in the six-part Netflix docuseries Harry & Meghan when she brought up the blog’s ‘success’, saying: ‘I’ve never really been the type of person to do only one thing, I guess that’s how my website was born.’
‘There was fashion, tons of food, and travel – all the things that I loved. The Tig wasn’t just a hobby, it became a really successful business.’
Meghan said she named the site after her experiencing her favourite wine, ‘super Tuscan’ Tignanello, for the first time. Recalling her first sip of the Italian red, which has been voted among the world’s top ten wines on several occasions, she wrote: ‘It was an “ah-ha” moment at its finest. For me, it became a “Tig” moment – a moment of getting it.
‘From that point on, any new awareness, any new discovery or “ohhhhh, I get it!” moment was a “Tig” moment.’
A range of celebrities appeared on the blog including Jessica Alba, Serena Williams and Heidi Klum, along with recipes for such health-conscious Californian fare as beetroot cheesecake and spicy broccoli and hempseed stew.
The Duchess has been keen to trademark The Tig name even while the blog itself has been offline.
Her application to the US Patent and Trademark Office was initially rejected on the grounds that the website description was too broad.
That has since been corrected, with the assistance of lawyer Danielle Weiss who outlined five ‘classes’ in which Meghan is seeking trademark protection for The Tig: travel, interior design, food preparation, ‘health and wellness’, and personal relationships (which includes fashion and personal lifestyle).
A $1,750 (£1,500) fee was paid for the application – a sum which could be dwarfed if Meghan chose to partner with sponsors such as fashion, food and beauty brands, according to a Hollywood marketing expert.
In 2015, The Tig collaborated with Birchbox, a beauty box subscription service, in a deal that could provide a model for a hugely profitable business.
For comparison, Gwyneth Paltrow’s lifestyle website Goop now has 80 employees, makes around $18 million (£14.5 million) a year and has been valued at $250 million.
It is clear from Meghan’s language when she closed the website down that it was a project that was close to her heart. She wrote: ‘After close to three beautiful years on this adventure with you, it’s time to say goodbye to The Tig.
‘What began as a passion project (my little engine that could) evolved into an amazing community of inspiration, support, fun and frivolity.
‘You’ve made my days brighter and filled this experience with so much joy. Keep finding those Tig moments of discovery, keep laughing and taking risks, and keep being “the change you wish to see in the world.”
‘Above all, don’t ever forget your worth – as I’ve told you time and time again: you, my sweet friend, you are enough. Thank you for everything.’
Now it appears that her parting lament was less of a goodbye and more an ‘au revoir’ – until we meet again.
