Meghan Markle Requests For ‘More Time’ To Fix ARO Trademark Issues

Meghan Markle’s trademark application for her lifestyle brand, American Riviera Orchard, is still facing troubles due to filing errors and other issues.

Amid anticipation of the official launch of her brand, the Duchess of Sussex’s legal team is said to be seeking more time to resolve these trademark challenges.

This marks Meghan Markle’s second setback after abandoning a trademark for her podcast “Archewell.”

Meghan’s legal team has requested additional time from U.S. authorities to move forward with her lifestyle brand, American Riviera Orchard.

The former actress initially filed for a trademark earlier this year to cover a range of products, including jams and other homemade goods. However, the application hit a snag in August when it was rejected due to filing errors.

Following the rejection, Meghan was given a three-month window to address the issues, which included missing signatures and insufficient payment.

Now, her legal team has sought an extension to resolve these challenges. According to the Daily Mail, if the new deadline isn’t met, Meghan will have to start the trademark process from scratch.

Compounding the issue is a challenge from Harry & David, a well-established U.S. company that holds the “Royal Riviera” trademark.

The company, which boasts annual sales of $1.7 billion and employs over 3,000 staff, argued that Meghan’s application could create confusion due to similarities between the brands.

The case has been referred to examining attorney Marco Wright in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for further review.

Meghan’s legal team, led by prominent U.S. attorney Marjorie Witter Norman under Mama Knows Best LLC, first filed an application in March with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office seeking exclusive rights to the name American Riviera Orchard.

However, the application has faced significant hurdles, including being denied because the term “American Riviera” is commonly used to describe the California coast, where Meghan and her husband, Prince Harry, reside.

Government officials reviewed the application extensively and cited multiple reasons for its rejection.

These reportedly included an incomplete payment, with fees submitted for only 17 of the 19 product categories listed in the filing.

The application, which aimed to cover a broad range of items such as gardening tools, household goods, soap dispensers, and linens, was deemed too vague and required further clarification.

Additionally, the paperwork was invalidated as it lacked proper signatures from Meghan or her team. In order to proceed, Meghan’s representatives were instructed to submit an additional £533 [$676] to address the payment issue.

An insider familiar with the Sussexes told the Daily Mail in August that some back and forth with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is “routine and expected” during the trademark filing process.

They expressed optimism that Meghan would address the office’s queries promptly.

Previous reports claimed that Harry and Meghan have also faced difficulties finding a CEO for the lifestyle brand. Despite these challenges, sources close to Meghan claim she is content managing the business herself.

This isn’t the first time Meghan has been met with Trademark issues for her brand. In August 2023, the Duchess of Sussex abandoned her attempt to trademark her podcast name, “Archewell,” after the USPTO ruled that a self-help blog with the same name had already secured the rights.

In an interview with Marie Claire, Meghan revealed that feminist icon Gloria Steinem visited the Montecito home she shares with Harry and their children, Prince Archie, 5, and Princess Lilibet, 3, last Thanksgiving.

“I was thinking about, in the past few years of having Thanksgiving here, like many of us, I think you always make sure there’s room at the table for your friends who don’t have family, which is really key,” Meghan shared.

Describing the festivities, the duchess said their Thanksgiving is “always pretty low-key,” noting that having her mother, Doria Ragland, adds a special touch.

“We’re always making sure we have something fun to do,” she said. “Like any other family, you spend time having a great meal and then what do you do? Play games, all the same stuff, someone brings a guitar — fun.”

After being excluded from the royal family’s traditional festivities at Sandringham, Harry and Meghan will reportedly celebrate Christmas in their Montecito home, along with their children and the duchess’s mother.

An insider shared with Closer Magazine that the couple is focused on creating a magical and memorable holiday for their little ones.

“Meghan’s mom Doria will join them at home in Montecito and they’ll ensure the children have a joyful day, despite not being around extended family,” the source said, adding that the absence of an invitation to join the royals was no surprise to the Sussexes.