Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, has encountered a significant hurdle in her latest business venture.
The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) recently denied her attempt to trademark the name “American Riviera Orchard,” a brand she has been quietly developing over the past few months.
Meghan Markle’s Trademark Bid for Brand Rejected by USPTO
Back in March, Meghan introduced American Riviera Orchard with a sleek new website and an Instagram page that showcased polished branding, though she kept details about the brand’s purpose and product lines under wraps.
Just before this soft launch, a holding company associated with the duchess submitted several trademark applications to the USPTO, covering a wide range of products and services—from homeware and garden accessories to stationery, jams, jellies, and preserves.
To create some buzz, Meghan sent jars of homemade jam, featuring the American Riviera Orchard label, to a select group of celebrity friends, who shared their excitement on social media with millions of followers.
However, six months after this initial launch, the brand now faces a serious challenge due to its trademark setback.
Meghan Markle’s trademark registration problems
On August 31, the USPTO issued a “nonfinal action,” rejecting Meghan’s application.
One of the main reasons cited was that the name “American Riviera Orchard” was deemed “primarily geographically descriptive.”
This classification implies that the name mostly points to a well-known location—Santa Barbara, California—near Meghan’s residence in Montecito.
According to the USPTO, when a brand name is closely associated with a geographical place, consumers are likely to assume that the goods or services originate from that location.
Additionally, the USPTO raised other issues with the application. They indicated that some descriptions of the goods and services needed to be clarified and that a required signature was missing.
Despite this setback, Meghan still has several avenues she could explore to move forward with American Riviera Orchard.
The most drastic option would be to rebrand entirely with a new name.
This is not the first time Meghan has faced challenges with trademarks; in 2023, the USPTO denied her application to trademark the name “Archetypes,” the title of her 2022 podcast series, because it was too similar to existing trademarks.
While this is certainly a bump in the road for Meghan’s business ambitions, it doesn’t mean the end for her lifestyle brand.
A source close to the Duchess recently revealed to People that the launch of American Riviera Orchard is scheduled for later this year.