Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to enter wine-making industry?

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle quit as a working British royals in March last year. Since then, they have signed multi-million dollar deals with Netflix and Spotify, started the new charitable foundation Archewell, as well as hired an agency to handle their speaking careers. Apart from this, the Duke of Sussex started two new jobs, one at a Silicon Valley startup where he will bring awareness to mental health and another at Aspen Institute where he will work to tackle fake news.

According to a new report in Mail Online, Harry and Meghan are planning to add another venture to their financially independent lives despite their busy profile. Trade experts have claimed that they could start a winemaking business, which might have been the inspiration behind the purchase of their massive mansion in Santa Barbara, being already home to a number of other winery-owning celebrities.

Locals and winemakers in and around the couple's new Montecito neighbourhood told the outlet that the Southern California winemaking region, which is home to more than 275 wineries, could be the best place for them to launch their own Brangelina-style wine label. Penny Bianchi, a resident of the neighbourhood who has her home next door to Harry and Meghan's interviewer and friend, Oprah Winfrey, told the outlet: "Investing in wine is pretty common in Montecito."

"I've got a bunch of friends who have wineries, I even know a couple of people who have vineyards on their own properties. It seems to be a very popular thing to do around here so I wouldn't be surprised if Harry and Meghan did the same," she said.

Award-winning Santa Barbara winemaker Greg Martellotto, who runs Martellotto Winery in Buellton and is a member of the Santa Barbara Vintners Association, said it would be "fantastic" if the royal couple decides to enter the industry. "It would be confirmation of what wine insiders already know. They are global people with name recognition around the world who could go anywhere but they came to Santa Barbara and I think that in and of itself says a lot," he told the outlet.

A number of celebrities have already made a name in the wine industry, including Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, Sarah Jessica Parker, Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore, and Jon Bon Jovi. Meghan is herself known to be a big wine fan, having named her old lifestyle blog "The Tig" after her favourite red wine. She and Harry had also served a Californian red wine – Domaine Eden pinot noir - at their May 2018 wedding at Windsor Castle.