Meghan Markle may have a long list of business blunders, but she is still a maestro at adding a touch of creativity to her ventures- particularly when it comes to coming up with names that make people think. Whether it was The Tig, Archetypes, or the newly minted American Riviera Orchard- the Duchess ensures her fans need to do a bit of sleuthing to grasp the meaning behind her brands. However, this time around, it seems her talent for crafting thought-provoking brand names has come back to bite her.

The rollout of Meghan Markle’s American Riviera Orchard has been put on ice, and it is all because of the name!

The moment Meghan Markle announced American Riviera Orchard, fans began speculating what the name of the brand might mean. It was soon decoded that the name referred to Markle’s life in Montecito, California, post-royal-exit. However, the US Patent and Trademark Office, aka USPTO does not work on emotions, but on guidelines- which say that one cannot trademark geographic locations, including the nickname for their California coast, the American Riviera. This has put the former actress’ brand launch on hold, Daily Mail reported. 

To make matters worse, reportedly, another Santa Barbara business is already using the term American Riviera for a candle that costs $34.95. The Patent Office pointed out that American Riviera is a common nickname for Santa Barbara, and such nicknames are often treated like the actual place name- and hence, Markle's brand does not fulfill the trademarking criteria. But the name is only one part of the issue.

American Riviera Orchard: What Is Meghan Markle’s Brand About and Who Is Backing It?

American Riviera Orchard’s unclear product listing has also contributed to the trademark issue. 

This is the second time Meghan Markle’s trademark applications have run into trouble. Her first application was rejected when the USPTO pointed out that the Duchess had not paid $11,382 in international fees and had some other paperwork issues. Now, the USPTO is giving her a hard time for being too vague about her products, which could fit into multiple trademark categories. 

They noted that her proposed cocktail napkins could be either paper or textile- two different categories- and her cooking utensils could be manual or electric. This comes right after it was announced that American Riviera Orchard was supposed to launch by the end of the year. However, with this new setback, it is hard to say when the brand will actually take off.

“Meghan was in tears”- Unfair Criticism Over American Riviera Orchard Has Got the Duchess Bawling, Claims Royal Expert

What do you think about this setback for Meghan Markle's brand? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!