Meghan Markle loses ‘American Riviera Orchard' even before launch?

Meghan Markle has just found herself in monumental issues regarding her brand American Riviera Orchard.

This blow has come amid reports that the trademark she applied for ended up being tossed by the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

The reason citied was that a business is unable to trademark geographical locations, according to a report by The Telegraph.

According to the report, using the word Orchard “does not diminish the primarily geographical descriptiveness of the applied for mark” because “a public association of the goods and services with the place is presumed.

They also refuted claims because another company was already using the name ‘American Riviera’ to sell on of their candles.

Thus USPTO has ruled “to leave geographic names free for all businesses operating in the same area to inform customers where their goods or services originate.”

“Furthermore, the purchasing public would be likely to believe that the goods and services originate in the geographic place identified in the mark because the attached evidence shows that applicant’s founder, ie, Meghan Markle, resides in the geographic place identified in the mark.”

Since the news came to light Meghan’s team also responded and called the refusal “routine and expected”.