Meghan Markle Renames American Riviera Orchard After Trademark Request Denied
Meghan Markle has rebranded her lifestyle brand after facing obstacles with the trademarking of American Riviera Orchard.
The Duchess of Sussex shared the news on Instagram, revealing that the brand would now be called “As Ever,” just ahead of the debut of her new Netflix show, With Love, Meghan, set to air on March 4.
In a video filmed in the family’s garden, with Prince Harry heard saying “It’s recording” in the background, Meghan announced, “The cat’s out of the bag.” She expressed surprise at how long they had kept the news a secret, saying, “In two weeks my show is coming out, which I’m so excited for. And also my business, which I think there has been a lot of curiosity about.”
Reflecting on her past choice of name, Meghan explained, “Last year, I had thought, ‘American Riviera, that sounds like such a great name.’ It’s my neighborhood; it’s a nickname for Santa Barbara, but it limited me to things that were just manufactured and grown in this area.”
The Duchess had previously encountered difficulties with the name when she attempted to trademark American Riviera Orchard in the summer of 2024. Her application was rejected in August due to issues with the filing, as the name American Riviera is commonly used to describe Santa Barbara. The addition of the word Orchard did not resolve the conflict.
Furthermore, the US Patent and Trademark Office pointed out that the descriptions of her products, such as “cocktail napkins” and “cooking utensils,” could fall into multiple trademark categories. Other businesses in Santa Barbara were also using the term American Riviera, including a candle company, and the name was frequently used in references to the region.
After being given three months to address the challenges to her application, Meghan requested an extension in November. Her office stated that these setbacks were “routine and expected” in the trademark process.
In her video, Meghan explained how partnering with Netflix for her show also meant a partnership for her business, leading her to rebrand. She shared, “I’ve been waiting for a moment to share a name that I had secured in 2022, and this is the moment, and it’s called As Ever.”
The rebrand signals a return to her lifestyle blogging roots. Meghan had previously run a blog called The Tig in 2014. She described As Ever as “essentially meaning as it’s always been,” adding, “If you’ve followed me since 2014 with The Tig, you know I’ve always loved cooking and crafting and gardening – this is what I do.”
She also hinted that fans could continue to expect fruit preserves as part of her offerings, joking, “I think we’re all clear at this point that jam is my jam.” Meghan teased the relaunch with a photo of herself and daughter Lilibet running across a lawn, with “As Ever” written in cursive across the image.
Meghan had first alluded to the rebrand when she signed off her Instagram post about her new Netflix show in January with the phrase As Ever.