The Duchess of Sussex faces another business hurdle as she prepares to launch her new Netflix series.
According to Fox News, Meghan Markle has rebranded her lifestyle venture from American Riviera Orchard to As Ever following trademark complications and legal protests from established retailers.
The 43-year-old royal announced the name change on Instagram, unveiling a new website that features her daughter Princess Lilibet. The rebranding comes just weeks before her delayed Netflix series premieres on March 4, putting additional pressure on the launch of her lifestyle empire.
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office rejected Markle's application for American Riviera Orchard last September. Officials cited concerns about trademarking geographical locations, as American Riviera is commonly used to describe Santa Barbara, where Markle resides with Prince Harry and their children.
Food retailer Harry & David complicated matters further by filing a protest in October. The company claimed Markle's brand name was too similar to their "Royal Riviera" product line, creating potential marketplace confusion.
British broadcaster Helena Chard shared her perspective on the situation:
Meghan hasn't stepped away from her self-induced drama. She seems to be stuck in a revolving door of inauthentic, contrived, and, on occasion, cringeworthy behavior. Unfortunately, it doesn't lend itself well to people buying into her brand.
The name change announcement strategically precedes Markle's upcoming Netflix series "With Love, Meghan," which explores her passion for cooking, gardening, and entertaining. The show was originally scheduled for January but was postponed to March 4 due to the Los Angeles fires.
Branding expert Doug Eldridge of Achilles PR noted that while trademark issues are common for new brands, they typically take years to resolve through costly litigation. The quick rebrand suggests Markle's team prioritized maintaining their launch schedule over fighting legal battles.
Sources close to the situation revealed that Markle's team had considered backup names, similar to Kim Kardashian's successful pivot from Kimono to Skims after facing cultural appropriation accusations.
Doug Eldridge emphasized that Markle's celebrity status provides valuable visibility that other startups lack. However, he cautioned that changing a brand's identity before launch could complicate its market position.
British royals expert Hilary Fordwich criticized the rebranding effort:
They failed to surround themselves with proper teams with proper expertise. Every move they make is commercial, tacky and undermines the value of any royal touch.
The former actress describes As Ever as an extension of The Tig, her lifestyle blog that she maintained from 2014 until 2017 when she began dating Prince Harry. The new venture will offer various products, including her previously teased fruit preserves.
Meghan Markle's lifestyle brand transformation from American Riviera Orchard to As Ever represents her latest attempt to establish herself in the competitive lifestyle market. The name change follows multiple trademark rejections and protests from established retailers, forcing a swift rebrand ahead of her Netflix series premiere on March 4. The success of her venture will depend on her ability to leverage her celebrity status while navigating the challenges of building an authentic lifestyle brand in an already crowded marketplace.
