Meghan Markle finds herself navigating troubled waters in her business venture with the American Riviera Orchard brand.
The Duchess of Sussex has faced a couple of setbacks in her attempt to establish her lifestyle brand in the competitive business world.
American Riviera Orchard Problems
Recently, her legal team requested more time to sort out issues that arose with the trademark application.
Specifically, after an initial rejection from the U.S. Patent Office (USPTO), Meghan is now seeking an extension to correct the errors that have set back her entrepreneurial dream.
Apparently, the USPTO told her that she cannot claim exclusive rights to “American Riviera,” as it is a name commonly used to describe a region of California.
According to media outlets such as The New York Post, if Meghan and her team do not meet the next deadline, she will be forced to start the application process from scratch.
One rumor that has been growing is that Meghan is considering changing her brand name to avoid further problems.
But that’s not all; she’s also had issues with competitors.
Harry & David, a well-known gourmet brand, has already filed a complaint saying that Markle’s name is too similar to their “Royal Riviera” line.
Despite these hurdles, a source close to the Sussexes says that these exchanges with the USPTO are part of the game and quite common, so perhaps we shouldn’t worry too much.
This is the second time their trademark applications have faced rejection.
However, the reality is that with each rejection, time marches on, and the launch of their brand, which was announced in March, remains a mystery.
So far, there is no launch date and no information on the products customers can expect.
Meghan Markle is holding on to her group of lawyers in hopes that, finally, her dream of launching American Riviera Orchard will become a reality.