Meghan Markle Faces Trademark Trouble Over Missing Signature

Los Angeles, CA — Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, encountered hurdles in her trademark application for her new lifestyle brand, As Ever, after failing to sign crucial documents submitted to the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) on Tuesday. The oversight prevented the documents from being ‘properly verified’ and led to the USPTO requesting further clarification on various product descriptions.

The trademark office returned the application to Markle, asking her to specify what she meant by terms like ‘various items,’ which included products such as ‘spoons, serving jams and fruit preserves.’ Additionally, she was instructed to list all goods and services using their international class numbers, an essential detail often required in trademark applications.

A source familiar with the matter remarked to Page Six, ‘As expected in any trademark application process, office actions have been received as part of the standard review. These are routine and anticipated. Responses for this particular office action, along with the necessary signatures, have already been submitted.’

This is not the first time Markle has faced such challenges. She previously made a similar error when attempting to trademark her now-defunct lifestyle blog, The Tig, and her canceled Spotify podcast, Archetypes. This ongoing struggle has prompted her to rebrand from her original name, American Riviera Orchard, to As Ever.

In light of the recent trademark issues, Markle expressed her understanding of the process in an interview, saying, ‘There are tons of twists and turns — even with the name… I appreciate everyone who gave me the grace to make mistakes and figure it out.’

Complications arose further as the USPTO flagged potential conflicts with existing brands, including a Chinese company named AsEver, due to the similarity in names. The office highlighted that ‘the marks are identical in sound and virtually identical in appearance and are thus confusingly similar for the purposes of determining likelihood of confusion.’ In addition, a complaint was filed regarding the logo’s resemblance to the coat of arms of Porreres, a village in Mallorca, Spain.

Markle’s lifestyle brand, which she aims to launch in partnership with Netflix, will feature a range of products, including her own raspberry preserves and herbal teas. Other offerings planned include shortbread cookies topped with flower sprinkles, a detail notable from her Netflix show, ‘With Love, Meghan.’

As of now, there is no confirmed launch date for As Ever, and Markle faces numerous hurdles in her journey to establish the brand. Her trademark application, submitted initially under the name American Riviera Orchard, was delayed last September when the USPTO advised against trademarking geographical locations.

Despite the challenges and scrutiny faced, a spokesperson for Markle stated, ‘Responses for this particular office action have already been submitted.’ This ongoing process illustrates the complexities of establishing a new brand in a competitive marketplace.