Meghan Markle has reportedly faced a new setback regarding her new cooking show with Netflix, which is now said to air in the spring of next year, according to a royal commentator.
The Duchess of Sus𝑠e𝑥 dominated headlines back in the summer after it was reported that filming for her new cookery show, which is said to coincide with the launch of her lifestyle brand, American Riviera Orchard (ARO), had wrapped up.
Both launches were expected to drop sometime this year, however, the Daily Mail’s columnist, Maureen Callahan, has now claimed that the duchess’s show is not due to hit the screen until spring 2025.
The commentator spoke on GB News about Meghan’s latest struggles to secure a trademark for American Riviera Orchard.
As in many new businesses, ARO’s launch has suffered many setbacks, with one of them in September reportedly involving “irregularities” with its trademark and its registration to the US Patents and Trademarks Office – the agency responsible for granting US patents and registering trademarks.
At the time, it was understood that the Notices of Irregularity were entirely normal and expected and that any fees associated with them had been paid.
Meanwhile, last month the Daily Mail also reported that it came in the form of a “protest” to USPTO by a firm owning the trademark “Royal Riviera”, which was “deemed relevant” due to “likelihood of confusion”.
Ms Callahan said: “She’s also just taken yet another hit with American Riviera Orchard.
“There’s a lifestyle brand called Harry and David that has just filed a patent issue with the US Patent Office. They are claiming that her company is a little too close to a product of theirs that is named something similar but she’s got yet another issue getting this thing off the ground.
“How long has it been that she’s been trying to lift this thing up? I mean, it’s not even going to air on Netflix, her cooking show, until sometime next spring.”
It comes as sources revealed to Closer magazine that the duchess is bracing to launch a major charm offensive during the festive period as she is reportedly “meticulously curating gift packages filled with a selection of all her favourite things – and of course, plenty of her jam” for her celebrity friends, as well as her estranged in laws, like the Princess of Wales and Queen Camilla.
The source said: “While there is no doubt it’s about promoting her American Riviera Orchard brand, it’s also about spreading goodwill and trying to remind people of her softer side.
“With Christmas around the corner, Meghan sees it as the perfect time to try to rebuild connections. She’s sending them out to all her friends and acquaintances, and is willing to spend a fortune and a whole lot of time because she sees it as an investment in her relationships.”
They added: “She’s reaching out to people who aren’t necessarily so fond of her, like Kate, Queen Camilla, the Clooneys and the Beckhams.
“She’s very eager to set the tone of peace for next year as one of peace and forgiveness.”