Meghan Markle's ‘American Riviera Orchard' rejected by Trademark Office: Here's Why

Meghan Markle has been sent in a state of urgency as her lifestyle brand demands a change of moniker.

The Duchess of Sussex, who introduced American Riviera Orchard earlier this year, is facing trouble in patenting its name.

Her team, led by top US attorney Marjorie Witter Norman applied to the Patent and Trademark Office in the States for legal protection of the name ‘American Riviera Orchard’.

But the application has now been rejected and the Duchess has three months to send an amended version.

As per The Sun, the officials said: "Applicant must disclaim the wording ‘American Riviera’ because it is primarily geographically descriptive of applicant’s goods and services.”

They added: “Furthermore the purchasing public would be likely to believe that the goods or services originate in the geographic place identified in the mark because the attached evidence shows that the applicant's founder, i.e., Meghan Markle, resides in the geographic place identified in the mark.

"Applicant may respond to this issue by submitting a disclaimer in the following format: No claim is made to the exclusive right to use 'American Riviera’, apart from the mark as shown,” the decision notes.