After months of anticipation, Meghan Markle has finally offered a first glimpse at her brand new Netflix show.
In a trailer for the eight-part series called With Love, Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex is seen inviting friends and famous guests to a California estate, where she shares cooking, gardening and hosting tips. It was announced a day after she made a shock return to Instagram for the first time since 2020, with Prince Harry also landing a fleeting cameo in the new promo for the show, which premieres on January 15.
However, many who have watched the trailer in detail have been left baffled by one huge project that seems to have been omitted from the trailer. It had previously been reported that Meghan’s cooking show would go hand in hand with her lifestyle brand American Riviera Orchard (ARO), which was launched last March.
Meghan Markle fans spot awkward Kate Middleton connection in new Netflix show
Meghan in the trailer for her new show With Love, Meghan
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At the time, a new website and Instagram page for ARO were unveiled to much fanfare, with a trademark application showing she intended to sell jams, spreads and other homeware goods. But despite the initial announcement, her wares have been shared only with celebrity friends, who showcased her ARO jam on social media in April.
So far, products have not been available yet to buy on the site and in recent months she has faced difficulty in acquiring a trademark. And with the ARO Instagram account yet to post and Meghan now starting to post on another account, many have taken to social media to voice their confusion and ask if ARO is still coming.
Prince Harry makes a fleeting appearance in the trailer
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One enquired on X: “Didn’t she start an IG account under American Riviera Orchard? Or does that not count?” While another pondered: “Why no mention of American Riviera Orchard?” And another asked: “Wasn’t that what her American Riviera Orchard IG account was supposed to be about?”
Meghan’s struggles to get American Riviera Orchard off the ground comes as back in September, she was given three months to respond to the “nonfinal officer action” issued by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). She has been warned that failure to do so could result in her application being abandoned.
It later emerged she encountered another stumbling block as a protest against trademarking the brand was lodged with the USPTO by the owners of the ‘Royal Riviera’ trademark.
Meghan in a teaser for American Riviera Orchard last year
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The ‘Royal Riviera’ trademark is owned by Harry & David, a US-based premium food and gifts retailer, for its ‘Royal Riviera Pears’, which are grown in the state of Oregon. The letter of protest, seen by The Mirror says there is a ‘likelihood of confusion’ and the case has now been referred to Marco Wright, the Trademark Office’s examining attorney.
A trademark application for American Riveria Orchard first submitted on February 2, 2024, outlined plans to sell kitchenware, drinkware and jams under the name American Riviera Orchard, which has yet to put a single product on sale 10 months after its Instagram launch. It was filed with USPTO by the company Mama Knows Best, LLC.
Two further applications connected with American Riviera Orchard have been filed by the company so far. Mama Knows Best, LLC, is registered at the same Beverly Hills address as Harry and Meghan’s Archewell Organisation.
A US source told the Mirror in September: “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.”
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