Duchess of Sussex’s enterprise American Riviera Orchard suffers setback
She had hoped to become the queen of the kitchen with the help of some swanky jars of jam.
But the Duchess of Sussex‘s domestic dream has been put on hold after her soon-to-launch lifestyle brand suffered a trademark setback.
Meghan has sought to trademark the name of her service, American Riviera Orchard, for international use ahead of a full-scale launch next year.
But records show that in July – some four months after requesting to register it – there were a number of ‘irregularities’ which needed to be ‘corrected’.
The US Patents and Trademarks Office has notified the Sussexes’ lawyers of various issues, including incorrect classification of yoga blankets, picnic baskets and recipe books.
And the agency said that fees are due to various bodies around the world to register the trademark – totalling $11,382 (nearly £9,000).
It is believed that Netflix – which has just finished filming a cookery show with the duchess – is taking over the commercial exploitation of the brand, so it would be safe to assume it will pay the fees.
A spokesman for the streaming giant declined to comment on their deal with her this week. Representatives of the Sussexes were contacted for comment.
The Duchess of Sussex has suffered a trademark setback with her new venture American Riviera Orchard. Pictured: Meghan Markle visits the Hubb Community Kitchen in London in 2018
Meghan has sought to trademark the name of her service, American Riviera Orchard, for international use ahead of a full-scale launch next year
Meghan shared a video giving viewers a hint of what they can expect from her brand. There is a clip of Meghan cooking in a kitchen, filled with a number of upmarket cookware item
The Duchess of Sussex signalled her intention to move into the lifestyle arena in early March. Pictured: Meghan Markle speaking onstage at The Archewell Foundation Parents’ Summit
The Duchess of Sussex signalled her intention to move into the lifestyle arena in early March by setting up an Instagram page which showed nine images revealing the name of the brand. It also featured a gold logo,a faux heraldic ‘ARO’, and the word ‘Montecito’, where she and Prince Harry moved after stepping down as working royals.
A video was also posted showing a woman’s hands arranging white and pink flowers. It then faded to reveal Meghan in a kitchen, whisking something in a bowl.
An insider told US entertainment website Page Six that the brand would focus on ‘things that are close to her heart’ and would be an extension of her former lifestyle blog, The Tig.
Meghan has sent products including jam and dog biscuits to some friends but plans are now afoot to start with a rose wine.
A source with knowledge of the launch said that the plan is to sell Meghan as a beacon of inspiration, aspiration and attainability.
American model and TV personality Chrissy Teigen poses with a jar of Meghan Markle’s jam
Meghan has sent products including jam and dog biscuits to some friends but plans are now afoot to start with a rose wine. Pictured: Meghan Markle chats with people inside the Drawing Room during a visit to Cardiff Castle
The Duchess of Sussex during her to visit the Hubb Community Kitchen, London, to see how the funds raised by Together: Our Community Cookbook are making a difference
Posting on social media, someone spreads American Riviera Orchard jam onto their toast
The launch of Meghan’s lifestyle brand is a move long in the making with planning going on for at least 18 months. Pictured: Meghan and Harry attending the Royal Salute Polo Challenge to benefit Sentebale
Her style will be sold as affordably elegant, and her image centred on her status as both a family-oriented and ‘regal’ figure.
Customers will be urged to embrace their innate elegance, and to ‘elevate the everyday.’ The brand is also set to offer drinkware, serving ware, bar essentials and other products related to hosting and entertaining.
The launch of Meghan’s lifestyle brand is a move long in the making with planning going on for at least 18 months. It can be revealed that the prospect has electrified Netflix, which signed a deal with the Sussexes in 2020. Their first documentary Harry & Meghan, which came out in December 2022, was a global success.
Next came the documentary Heart of Invictus about Harry’s Invictus Games event in August 2023. However, by this point sources were calling the ‘$100million deal’ with Netflix a ‘dead duck’ because of the lack of output and apparent lack of ideas.
Meghan, Duchess of Sussex travels down The Mall in a horse drawn carriage during Trooping The Colour 2018
Harry and Meghan bought the rights to a romantic novel Meet Me At The Lake in August last year although it is unknown when the film adaptation will be released
Meghan has previously spoken about her love of food, launching a charity cookbook with the Hubb Community Kitchen in 2018 (pictured) to help families affected by the Grenfell Tower fire
Meghan helps prepare food during her visit to the Hubb Community Kitchen in 2018
The couple bought the rights to a romantic novel Meet Me At The Lake in August last year although it is unknown when the film adaptation will be released.
Netflix has now turbo-charged the plans for American Riviera Orchard – taking over all executive roles and delivering deals with wholesalers, designers, growers and retailers. It will take around eight months for the trademark applications to be examined and up to 14 months for them to be registered.
This means that come May next year, she should be all systems go with the brand and the cookery show she has filmed to accompany it.
Netflix sources say that the show – which is as yet untitled – won’t be ready for transmission for months yet as it has to be edited and then subtitled for release around the world.
Meghan has previously spoken about her love of food, launching a charity cookbook with the Hubb Community Kitchen in 2018 to help families affected by the Grenfell Tower fire.
In a foreword for the book, she wrote: ‘I immediately felt connected to this community kitchen; it is a place for women to laugh, grieve, cry and cook together.’
