Meghan Markle’s “American Riviera Orchard” project hit a major snag last month when its application for a trademark was denied, according to the Daily Mail. It’s not Markle’s first snafu with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, either—she similarly failed to lock down trademark rights for the podcast company founded by her and her husband, Prince Harry, called Archewell. The most recent trouble came on Saturday when the office denied Markle’s request to trademark the name “American Riviera” due to its longstanding policy of not allowing trademarks on geographic locations. The application also had a number of other issues, the Mail reported, including vague descriptions of products and previously existing brands with similar names. The brand sells household goods, kitchen wares, and utensils, as well as a now-viral line of jams. It remains unclear how the development will affect the launch of “American Riviera Orchard”—which was expected before the end of 2024.
