Meghan Markle is facing a major setback as an important deadline looms.
The Duchess of Sussex has faced another setback with her American Riviera Orchard brand after her legal team requested additional time to correct trademark application issues.
Meghan’s representatives have approached US authorities seeking an extension to address problems with the filing for her lifestyle venture.
The move comes after an initial rejection in August, when the former royal was given three months to rectify errors in the application.
Meghan Markle faces major setback as important deadline looms
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She has now asked for another three months to complete this. If the deadline is missed, the application will need to be started again.
Meghan first lodged documents with the US Patent and Trademark Office earlier this year but suffered an embarrassing blow when the forms were not filled in correctly.
The application was not signed and the duchess did not send enough money.
Another firm, owning the trademark “Royal Riviera” also challenged the application.
Meghan launched an Instagram page for American Riviera Orchard earlier this yearInstagramThe company, described as “an American institution, founded in 1934, with annual sales of £1.7billion,” raised concerns about potential confusion between the brands.
A source close to the Sussexes maintained that such back-and-forth with the US Patent Office (USPTO) was “routine and expected when filing for trademarks.”
USPTO has informed Meghan she cannot have exclusive rights to “American Riviera”, as it is a commonly used place name describing the California coast where she resides.
The trademark application faced scrutiny over broad classifications for various products, including gardening equipment, household goods, soap dispensers and linen.
A look at Meghan Markle’s jam from American Riviera Orchard Instagram / Heather DorakUSPTO is also querying the design of the letter “O” for Orchard in the company’s intricate and swirling logo.
The brand was intended to help boost the fortunes of Meghan and Harry following the end of their £20million Spotify deal.
This marks the second time her trademark applications have faced rejection, following an abandoned bid for the “Archetypes” podcast trademark in August 2023.
Reports suggest the Sussexes have struggled to find a CEO for the lifestyle venture, though sources close to the duchess insist she is content managing the business herself.
Meghan launched her brand American Riviera Orchard in March 2024GettyDespite the trademark challenges, the brand has already engaged in limited promotional activities.
In April, Meghan distributed an initial batch of 50 strawberry jam jars to celebrity friends including Kris Jenner, Mindy Kaling and Chrissy Teigen.
Further PR packages containing dog biscuits and raspberry jam were sent to friend Nacho Figueras in June.
To date, these promotional samples remain the only visible signs of the brand’s activity.