Meghan Markle Feels Like a “laughing stock” as Trademark Debacle Looms Over American Riviera Orchard Troubling Her Team

Published 12/02/2024, 2:45 AM EST

Meghan Markle is back at the crossroads of her past, trading royal radars for the lifestyle limelight. American Riviera Orchard, the teased brand has been simmering on the back burner for eight months, but the plot thickens with a trademark tussle that has turned Markle’s ambitions into a real nail-biter. Although Markle has ambitions that translate to nothing but royalty, knowing the royal sphere has not been exactly kind, a similar iteration casts a gloom over her upcoming venture. 

The drama has grown so loud that it seems Markle’s team is stuck in a trademark traffic jam, leaving her feeling like the punchline of an unfortunate branding joke.

Meghan Markle becomes the object of ridicule over American Riviera Orchard

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According to a new exclusive report from Radar Online, Meghan Markle’s struggles over trademark troubles are not slowing down. Following failed attempts because of blunders made by her legal team at her Mama Knows Best LLC parent firm, Markle has been feeling like a “laughing stock” among Californians. Embarrassed in fury, the Duchess has reportedly “threatened to sack her team if they don’t get her brand trademarked.”

With Markle’s gaze fixed on mirroring Gwyneth Paltrow’s million-dollar lifestyle empire, she has been peddling jars of jelly and dog treats so far. But the embarrassment seems to be in the courtroom, as her legal team, led by Marjorie Witter Norman, seeks an extension from US authorities to secure a trademark for American Riviera Orchard. The legal motion grants six more months to correct the errors and address challenges to the application. Miss the deadline and the trademark could be dead on arrival.

Meghan Markle’s American Riviera Orchard Continues to Thrive Despite Trademark Controversy

Whether the trademark troubles impact the brand’s launch is anyone’s guess, but for anyone not in the know, here is the fine print on the fiasco.

Meghan Markle faces back-to-back copyright conflict for American Riviera Orchard

When Meghan Markle announced American Riviera Orchard, the unique name and its logo drew a lot of traction. However, according to The Post, it is not as exclusive as it may ring since a trademark protest was recently filed by a rival lifestyle brand, Harry & David, with claims suggesting the name is a little close to its Royal Riviera product line. Before this, the US Patent and Trademark Office rejected Markle’s trademark application, citing businesses cannot trademark geographical locations.

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To add fuel to the fire, the brand’s logo featuring a double-line octagon with “AR” cradled inside and a flower perched on “A” has been challenged by the USPTO, who are particularly focused on the letter “O.” They argue that the logo’s description does not quite match the design. Since then, Markle’s team has been caught in a creative whirlpool. But with no clear end in sight, it looks like the storm will not subside for at least six months.

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What do you think of Meghan Markle's brand's consecutive trademark troubles becoming a nightmare for her team? Let us know in the comments below!

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Anushka Bhattacharya

1604 articles

I'm Anushka Bhattacharya, an entertainment journalist at Netflix Junkie. Armed with a degree in literature, I once wielded my words to catalyze change within society through my work with NGOs. However, as I stumbled into the exuberant hole of crime thrillers and documentaries on Netflix, it was love at first sight and pushed me into entertainment journalism.

Edited By: Aliza Siddiqui

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