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Meghan Markle’s ‘black sheep’ nephew has become an overnight millionaire thanks to marijuana – with a little help from his aunt’s name.
Cannabis farmer Tyler Dooley launched his business last year with a potent variety named ‘Markle Sparkle’.
Created in honour of Meghan’s wedding to Prince Harry, the strain was marketed with the tagline: ‘So strong it will blow your crown off.’
Now the 27-year-old son of the Duchess of Sussex’s half-brother Tom Markle Jr, has revealed his success has led to the vast expansion of his operation.
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Cannabis farmer Tyler Dooley launched his business last year with a potent variety named ‘Markle Sparkle’
He has a sprawling new 1,000-acre ranch in Oregon where the plants he is growing include a new hybrid strain of cannabis, ‘Archie Sparkie’, named after his second cousin, Meghan and Harry’s son.
Dooley, his brother TJ, father Tom and grandfather Thomas Markle Sr. were all shut out of the Royal wedding. He was caught entering a nightclub in London carrying a knife after travelling to the UK to watch Meghan’s wedding on TV.
He told The Mail on Sunday: ‘People have always called me the black sheep of the family but I’ve been working my **** off to make a living in a very competitive business.
‘Markle Sparkle made headlines and made me a lot of money.’
However, Dooley says he has largely turned away from producing marijuana containing mind-bending compound THC.
He has a sprawling new 1,000-acre ranch in Oregon where the plants he is growing include a new hybrid strain of cannabis
Created in honour of Meghan’s wedding to Prince Harry, the strain was marketed with the tagline: ‘So strong it will blow your crown off’
He is focusing on producing millions of tons of product containing only cannabidiol (CBD), which does not get users ‘high’ and is legally sold in the UK.
CBD is touted as a ‘cure’ for everything from cancer to arthritis, and dementia to depression, but many critics have dismissed it as modern ‘snake oil’.
‘CBD products are where the future lies,’ says Dooley. We are selling our product to several of the leading importers into the UK. We’re planning to flood the market.’
His cannabis business, called Blue Line Hemp will soon expand to 2,600 acres: ‘At the moment I’ve got 1.5 million marijuana plants but we’re planning a big expansion.’ Dooley declines to reveal exactly how much he is worth, but claims his new business has ‘expected revenue’ of up to $200 million [£160 million] a year.
He is focusing on producing millions of tons of product containing only cannabidiol (CBD), which does not get users ‘high’ and is legally sold in the UK
‘Hemp can be turned into all sorts of eco-friendly products from clothing to building materials,’ he says. ‘I’m planning to use hemp-based bricks to build a turreted castle on the farm in honour of Archie.’
Dooley, who recently became engaged to Sandra Bazan, 24, added: ‘People have labelled Meghan’s American family as hillbillies and a freak show but I’m building a business the old-fashioned way with hard work and lots of sweat.
‘The farm is organic and sustainable. It’s ironic my aunt and Prince Harry go on about being such great eco-warriors and yet they carry on jetting around on private planes. I think we’re doing more for the planet than my aunt Meghan is.’
The Centre for Medicinal Cannabis estimates the CBD market in the UK could be worth almost £1 billion a year by 2025.
Can Busy Izzy solve Duchess’s PR crisis?
By Charlotte Wace
David Beckham’s publicist Izzy May has given ‘friendly’ PR advice to her friend the Duchess of Sussex and her team.
Nicknamed ‘Busy Izzy’, Ms May, right, was involved in the build-up to the Vogue magazine issue that Meghan co-edited.
The two women have become close in the past two years after being introduced by Soho House director, Markus Anderson.
David Beckham’s publicist Izzy May has given ‘friendly’ PR advice to her friend the Duchess of Sussex and her team
Her PR input on the Vogue publicity was understood to be ‘greatly appreciated’, according to sources close to the Palace – and was given on a completely unofficial basis as a friend.
A Royal source claimed that given her background in fashion PR she was ‘ideally placed with a lot of experience’ – and acted as a ‘sounding board’ for the ideas being discussed.
Earlier this month it was reported that in a break with Royal tradition Meghan had hired an outside PR firm, Sunshine Sachs, to advise on publicity.
This newspaper revealed how Ms May, 40, has become one of Meghan Markle’s closest confidantes since the American Royal moved to the UK.
A source explained at the time: ‘While they keep their relationship very quiet, Izzy is one of Meghan’s closest and dearest friends and she values her friendship so very much.
‘She helped Meghan adjust to life in London, and Meghan relied on her a lot. They totally support each other and, like any other friends, enjoy social activities together.’
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