Meghan Markle has been dealt a fresh blow as a protest against trademarking her lifestyle brand has been lodged with the US Patent and Trademark Office by the owners of the ‘Royal Riviera’ trademark.

Meghan Markle has hit another snag in her quest to launch her highly-anticipated lifestyle brand. The Duchess of Sussex unveiled her new brand, American Riviera Orchard, earlier this year with a flashy website and Instagram page.

However, despite the initial announcement, her products have only been shared with celebrity friends who flaunted her American Riviera Orchard jam on social media back in April. As of now, no products are available for purchase on the site.

Last month, it was revealed that her trademark application had been denied. Meghan was given a three-month window to respond to the “nonfinal officer action” issued by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

She was cautioned that failure to respond could result in her application being abandoned. Now, she’s facing another hurdle as a protest against the trademarking of the brand has been filed with the USPTO by the owners of the ‘Royal Riviera’ trademark.

The Royal Riviera trademark is owned by Harry and David, a premium food and gift retailer based in the US, for its ‘Royal Riviera Pears’, which are grown in Oregon. The letter of protest, viewed by The Mirror, states there is a ‘likelihood of confusion’ and the case has now been referred to Marco Wright, the Trademark Office’s examining attorney.

An application for the trademark American Riveria Orchard was first submitted on February 2, detailing plans to sell kitchenware, drinkware, and jams under the name American Riviera Orchard. Despite its Instagram launch seven months ago, no product has been sold yet.

The application was filed with USPTO by Mama Knows Best, LLC, which has also filed two more applications related to American Riviera Orchard. Interestingly, Mama Knows Best, LLC is registered at the same Beverly Hills address as Harry and Meghan’s Archewell Organisation.

A source from the US told The Mirror last month: “The process for acquiring a trademark is extremely rigorous. It would be a surprise if Meghan had not received one before in trying to get her application through. She is still very much committed to her brand and has three months to respond. There is no way this will lead to abandonment.”

This news follows a friend’s comments about Prince Harry and Meghan experiencing a significant change – evident in their recent solo appearances. Meghan once described her relationship with Harry as “salt and pepper” because they always “move together”.

However, this hasn’t seemed to be the case in recent weeks since their tour of Colombia in August, leading many to speculate why.

A friend close to the duo has disclosed to People magazine that there’s a budding evolution in how they pursue their individual ventures, explaining: “It’s clear that a twin-track approach is evolving.”

Meanwhile, another confidant has shared: “The Duke and Duchess have now hit their stride as individuals – not just as a couple. The Duke appears focused on his patronage work, and the Duchess focused on her entrepreneurial track.”

They further noted: “An entrepreneurial and enterprise focus is going to be more the Duchess’s priority and the Duke will continue to champion his not-for-profit patronages. But there will be joint efforts around those cause-driven areas of work.”

In light of Meghan’s less visible presence lately, the same insider has commented that it’s not indicative of any rift, stating instead: “[It’s] as much a reflection on parenting priorities, in that one of them stays behind with the children.”