The Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, is reportedly set to make a big return to public activities in the New Year.
A report states that the upcoming Netflix series from the ex-actress will be released in the beginning of next year, coinciding with the official debut of her lifestyle brand.
This update comes after it was revealed that Meghan Markle is still struggling to clear trademark issues with American Riviera Orchard.
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Meghan Markle Set To Shine In 2025 With Her Projects
Page Six reports that 2025 is going to be the duchess’s year to shine as her TV show and lifestyle brand will finally make their big debut after being teased in early 2024.
Meghan’s show, which is said to be centered around “cooking, gardening and entertaining,” will be released “early 2025.”
Hot on its heels would be the launch of American Riviera Orchard, which the mother of two already teased with its own official Instagram page.
However, the exciting news of Meghan’s projects finally being released comes amid rumors of struggles behind the scenes.
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According to the news outlet, since the announcement of the duchess’s lifestyle brand, she has yet to work with any local factories or jam makers in the area around her Southern California home on any of her products, which, for now, mostly consist of a variety of jams and dog biscuits.
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‘It’s Going To Be A Good Year’ For The Duchess, Industry Insiders Claim
One of the major rumors plaguing Meghan’s lifestyle brand is that she struggles to find a CEO to help stir the ship.
However, a source debunked this claim as untrue, noting that the duchess is the CEO of her own lifestyle brand.
“She’s been keeping her cards close to her chest,” the insider said, per Page Six. “But I can tell you that she is the CEO of American Riviera Orchard, so all these rumors about her having a hard time finding a CEO are false.”
Another source revealed that the duchess and her husband, Prince Harry, have been collaborating with individuals who are not a part of the Sussexes’ Archewll Foundation to help get the project off the ground.
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“As far as Meghan being quiet, she’s been in the background working on her entrepreneurial efforts,” an industry insider told the news outlet. “Both the Netflix project and her brand will come out within the same timeline in the New Year.”
“It’s going to be a good year for Meghan specifically, she’s spent the majority of the year doing work behind the scenes to launch a project in the first few months of 2025,” the insider added.
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Meghan Markle Asked For More Time To Fix Her Trademark Issues
According to the Daily Mail, Meghan’s legal team asked for more time from U.S. authorities to fix trademark issues with her lifestyle brand, American Riviera Orchard.
The former actress initially filed for a trademark earlier this year to cover a range of products, including jams and other homemade goods. However, the application hit a snag in August when it was rejected due to filing errors.
Following the rejection, Meghan was given a three-month window to address the issues, which included missing signatures and insufficient payment.
Now, her legal team has sought an extension to resolve these challenges. If the new deadline isn’t met, Meghan will have to start the trademark process from scratch.
The Duchess’s Trademark Request Is Being Challenged By A Company With A Similar Name
Compounding the issue is a challenge from Harry & David, a well-established U.S. company that holds the “Royal Riviera” trademark.
The company, which boasts annual sales of $1.7 billion and employs over 3,000 staff, argued that Meghan’s application could create confusion due to similarities between the brands.
The case has been referred to examining attorney Marco Wright in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for further review.
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Meghan Markle Is ‘Excited’ To Launch Her Lifestyle Brand
Despite the many hurdles, Meghan is said to be optimistic about American Riviera Orchard’s future as the launch date draws near.
The mother of two is believed to be deeply “excited” about the prospect of the venture, particularly because it centers around things she “loves.”
“She is excited about her latest personal venture,” an insider said, per People magazine. “This is something she’s been wanting to do for a while. She is excited to share her style and things that she loves.”
Meghan’s lifestyle brand will reportedly “reflect everything that she loves — family, cooking, entertaining and home décor.”