Even if you are an entrepreneur in the trenches considering actions on matters such as product development, product promotion, fundraising, corralling your team, doing market testing, and perhaps hiring an intellectual property law firm to help with the legal due diligence related to it all, you could not have possibly escaped the recent no-holds-bar interview between Megan Markle, Duchess of Sussex and the famous Oprah Winfrey, hosted by Oprah’s OWN Network, and airing on CBS in the United States.
From the pristine coastlines of Santa Barbara, California, thousands of miles away from Royal Residences of Buckingham Palace, Meghan Markle and Oprah, later joined by Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, discussed several sensitive topics involving mental health, racism, the British tabloids, as well as Meghan and Harry’s lives outside the Palace.
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s Trademark Portfolio
This all raises many questions about the couple’s future in business and culture, both in the United States and worldwide. Like any business, branding and trademark protection is an essential component to launching a new venture or company, and the Duke and Duchess Princie are no exception.
Reviewing public records in United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) one can see the Royal Couple has filed trademark in connection with various brands, across a slew of goods and services regulated by interstate commerce in the United States.
In fact, during the firestorm interview, it was announced that the couple is launching a new production company, called ARCHEWELL, which recently inked a $100 Million production deal with Netflix.
Sure enough, USPTO records show several pending federal trademark applications for the words ARCHEWELL, ARCHEWELL AUDIO, and ARCHEWELL FOUNDATION, all filed earlier this year.
The goods and services listed under these applications are:
International Class 009 for Downloadable articles, magazines, electronic books, and audio books, all in the field of charitable service, education, science, literature, racial justice, gender equity, environmental stewardship, youth empowerment, health and mental health; downloadable education materials, namely, prerecorded multimedia files featuring classes, lectures, seminars, conferences, and workshops, all in the field of charitable service, education, science, literature, racial justice, gender equity, environmental stewardship, youth empowerment, health and mental health; downloadable written educational and training materials, all in the field of charitable service, education, science, literature, racial justice, gender equity, environmental stewardship, youth empowerment, health and mental health; downloadable photographs; downloadable image files containing artwork, text, and graphics relating to music, motion picture films, articles, documentary films, books, audio books, podcasts, television series, and web series; downloadable motion picture films, documentary films, documentary videos, public service announcements, documentary television series, and podcasts, all in the field of charitable service, education, science, literature, racial justice, gender equity, environmental stewardship, youth empowerment, health and mental health; downloadable scripted and documentary motion picture films, and television series, all featuring drama, comedy, live action, animation and children’s and family entertainment; downloadable podcasts in the field of current events and commentary on topics of general interest; prerecorded DVDs and video discs all featuring motion picture films, documentary films, public service announcements, podcasts, and scripted, documentary and animated television series, all in the field of charitable service, education, science, literature, racial justice, gender equity, environmental stewardship, youth empowerment, health and mental health; prerecorded DVDs and video discs all featuring scripted and documentary motion picture films, and television series in the nature of drama, comedy, live action, animation and children’s and family entertainment; prerecorded DVDs and video discs all featuring podcasts in the field of current events and commentary on topics of general interest; prerecorded DVDs, video discs, CDs, audio discs, and MP3s all featuring music; prerecorded CDs, audio discs, and MP3s all featuring podcasts and public service announcements, all in the field of charitable service, education, science, literature, racial justice, gender equity, environmental stewardship, youth empowerment, health and mental health; prerecorded CDs, audio discs, and MP3s all featuring podcasts in the field of current events and commentary on topics of general interest; downloadable computer software and downloadable applications for downloading, streaming, playing, and viewing digital entertainment content, namely, motion picture films, web series, television series, and podcasts; downloadable computer software and downloadable applications for downloading, streaming, playing and viewing informational programming, namely, documentary films, documentary videos, public service announcements, documentary television series, and podcasts; downloadable computer software for providing information, photos and videos about charitable service, education, science, literature, racial justice, gender equity, environmental stewardship, youth empowerment, health and mental health; downloadable computer software for promoting public awareness of causes in the fields of charitable service, education, science, literature, racial justice, gender equity, environmental stewardship; downloadable music sound recordings; downloadable informational programming, namely, documentary films, documentary videos, public service announcements, documentary television series, and podcasts in the field of charitable service, education, science, literature, racial justice, gender equity, environmental stewardship, youth empowerment, health and mental health.
International Class 016 for Fiction and non-fiction books on a variety of topics; printed educational materials and written articles in the field of charitable service, education, science, literature, racial justice, gender equity, environmental stewardship, youth empowerment, health and mental health; general feature magazines and printed periodicals in the field of charitable service, education, science, literature, racial justice, gender equity, environmental stewardship, youth empowerment, health and mental health; calendars; photographs; posters; art prints; paper stationery; blank journals; notebooks; pens; pencils; binders.
International Class 025 for Clothing, namely, tops, bottoms, shirts, skirts, dresses, pants, jeans, shorts, sweaters, jackets, socks; loungewear; rainwear; footwear; headwear.
International Class 035 for Charitable services, namely, promoting public awareness in the field of charitable service, education, science, literature, racial justice, gender equity, environmental stewardship, youth empowerment, health and mental health; charitable services, namely, coordination of non-monetary contributions to charities and non-profits; charitable services, namely, developing and coordinating volunteer programs and community service projects; matching volunteers with non-profit organizations; marketing services, namely, promotional services in the field of planned-giving for non-profit and charitable organizations; development of charitable marketing campaigns for others; providing a website for promoting public awareness of charitable services and service learning projects, community service projects, corporate social responsibility and civic engagement projects; administration of a program to promote community service.
International Class 036 for Charitable fundraising services; charitable foundation services, namely, providing fundraising activities, scholarships and financial assistance for programs and services of others; providing grants to charities and non-profits; financing of charitable projects; accepting and administering monetary charitable contributions; charitable fundraising services by means of organizing and conducting special events.
Meghan and Harry’s Production Company Trademark
The mark ARCHEWELL, filed in International Class 041 for Development and dissemination of printed educational and training materials in the field of charitable service, education, science, literature, racial justice, gender equity, environmental stewardship, youth empowerment, health and mental health; education and training services, namely, providing classes, lectures, seminars, conferences, workshops, and retreats in the field of charitable service, education, science, literature, racial justice, gender equity, environmental stewardship, youth empowerment, health and mental health; educational and charitable services, namely, mentoring of persons in need in the field of charitable service, education, science, literature, racial justice, gender equity, environmental stewardship, youth empowerment, health and mental health; providing information related to education services; organizing, conducting and hosting events and exhibitions for cultural purposes; organizing, conducting, and hosting educational events and exhibitions in the field of health and mental health; organizing, conducting and hosting events and exhibitions for social entertainment purposes; providing information about cultural, sporting, health education, mental health education, and entertainment events and activities; providing a website featuring information in the field of physical fitness; consulting services in the field of physical fitness; providing information in the field of physical fitness; providing recognition and incentives by the way of awards to entities and individuals who have made significant charitable contributions; providing recognition and incentives by the way of awards to demonstrate excellence in the field of community service and charitable giving; publishing of books and magazines; publishing of electronic publications; digital video, audio, and multimedia publishing services; creation, development, production and distribution of motion picture films, documentary films, web series, and scripted, documentary and animated television series; creation, development, production and distribution of music and podcasts; creation, development, production and distribution of educational and entertainment programming, namely, documentary films, documentary videos, ongoing television public service announcements, documentary television series, and podcasts; creation, development and production of live stage performances, live music performances, and live acting performances; entertainment services, namely, providing online non-downloadable video clips, audio clips, and informational television programming containing audio, video, and text, all in the field of charitable service, education, science, literature, racial justice, gender equity environmental stewardship, youth empowerment, health and mental health; entertainment services, namely, providing online non-downloadable video clips and audio clips, all featuring motion picture films, television series, web series, and podcasts; providing non-downloadable motion picture films, documentary films, web series, and scripted, documentary and animated television series, all in the field of charitable service, education, science, literature, racial justice, gender equity, environmental stewardship, youth empowerment, health and mental health via broadcast television, satellite, cable television, global computer networks, websites, wireless devices, mobile web applications, set top boxes, webcasts, and on-demand streaming media; providing non-downloadable scripted and documentary motion picture films, web series, and television series, all featuring drama, comedy, live action, animation and children’s and family entertainment via broadcast television, satellite, cable television, global computer networks, websites, wireless devices, mobile web applications, set top boxes, webcasts, and on-demand streaming media; providing non-downloadable prerecorded music and podcasts provided through broadcast television, satellite, cable television, global computer networks, websites, wireless devices, mobile web applications, set top boxes, webcasts, and on-demand streaming media; providing non-downloadable educational and entertainment programming, namely, documentary films, documentary videos, ongoing television public service announcements, documentary television series, documentary web series, and podcasts, provided through broadcast television, satellite, cable television, global computer networks, websites, wireless devices, mobile web applications, set top boxes, webcasts, and on-demand streaming media, all in the field of charitable service, education, science, literature, racial justice, gender equity, environmental stewardship, youth empowerment, health and mental health; providing a website featuring information in the fields of entertainment, music, motion picture films, educational articles, fiction and non-fiction books, fiction and non-fiction audio books, television series, and educational programming in the nature of documentary films, documentary videos, public service announcements, documentary television series, documentary web series, and podcasts.
International Class 042 for Providing online non-downloadable software and web apps for accessing, downloading, streaming, playing, and viewing digital entertainment content and informational programming, namely, documentary films, documentary videos, public service announcements, documentary television series, documentary web series and podcasts; providing online non-downloadable software and web apps for accessing, downloading, streaming, playing, and viewing digital entertainment content, namely, motion picture films, web series, television series, and podcasts; providing online non-downloadable software and web apps for providing information, photos and videos about charitable service, education, science, literature, racial justice, gender equity, environmental stewardship, youth empowerment, health and mental health; Providing online non-downloadable software and web apps for promoting public awareness of causes in the fields of charitable service, education, science, literature, racial justice, gender equity, environmental stewardship.
International Class 044 for Providing a website featuring information in the field of nutrition, general health and mental health; providing nutrition, general health and mental health information; providing information about personal medical care and psychological treatment services; providing information about health, mental health, and psychological services.
International Class 045 for Providing information about emotional support groups, emotional counseling, and emotional support.
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s ROYAL SUSSEX Trademark Snafu
This is not the first time Meghan and Harry have taken trademark protection action in teh United Sttates PAtent and Trademark OFfice since their departuree from Great Britian in early 2020. Last year, the couple had filed seveal tademark applications for the term ROYAL SUSSEX in connection witth various goods and services.
However, after backlash from The Firm, and public scrutiny, the couple has subsequently withdrawn the ROYAL SUSSEX trademark filings, and allows those federal trademark applications to lapse and abandon.
When entrprenerues, business owners, and inventors create a new name, logo, or slogan for their business ventures, filing a U.S. Tradeemark Application in teh USPTO can be a smart first step to protection of that brand name.
As Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s robust trademark filings in the USPTO show, not even royalty is free is from due diligence when it comes to trademark protection.
