Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, has attracted controversy following the launch of her new lifestyle brand, As Ever, which was initially branded as American Riviera Orchard. The rebranding, announced earlier this week, has led to complications, particularly with businesses that share the same name.

One notable instance comes from Jen, the owner of As Ever Photography, based in Arizona. Jen took to Instagram to voice her concerns about Markle’s use of a name she has been operating under for over 12 years, which she named in homage to her late grandmother. In a post, she remarked, “When one of the most famous people in the world starts using your biz name of 12+ years (that you named in honour of your grandmother), seems like they could throw me a lil bone? @meghan @netflix.” With a playful tone, she expressed hope that if the Duchess requires photography services, she would be considered for the job.

Jen further elaborated on the sentimental significance of her business name. In her Instagram post, she reflected on how her grandmother Evelyn, who had a profound influence on her life, inspired the name. “When it came time to choose a name for my business, I was reminded of the signature she used in correspondence: ‘As Ever, Evelyn’. It was only two words, but the sentiment they conveyed was so lovely,” she stated.

The backlash did not end there for Markle. The launch of As Ever has also triggered a plagiarism controversy involving the town of Porreres in Mallorca, Spain. Local officials are contemplating legal action after accusing Markle of using elements from their traditional coat of arms in her logo. The similarities are notable, as both logos feature a palm tree and birds. Mayor Francisca Mora stated, “I don’t know if she visited some agritourism sites and saw the coat of arms because the photo on her website is taken from Mallorca,” arguing that the likeness is “surreal.”

The mayor laid out the town’s grievances, insisting that the uniqueness of their coat of arms must be preserved. “We don’t want our coat of arms to be perverted because it belongs exclusively to Porreres,” said Mora. She further highlighted that while the Duchess’ logo features hummingbirds, the town’s coat of arms traditionally depicts either swallows or pigeons, a detail that has long been debated by historians. “We will ask Meghan to remove the logo from their website,” the mayor added.

The controversy surrounding the similarities between the two logos has garnered significant online attention, with users on social media drawing comparisons and questioning the Duchess’ branding choices.

Despite these challenges, the rebrand of her lifestyle company appears to have had varying effects on those involved. While the Arizona-based photography business has expressed discontent, another company, the New Jersey clothing brand As Ever NYC, has benefitted from the publicity, experiencing a surge in both social media followers and product sales since Markle’s rebranding campaign began.

As attention continues to build around Markle’s new venture and the implications for others sharing the same name, the outcome of these various disputes remains uncertain. The Duchess’s representatives have been approached for comments regarding the allegations and the complaints raised by the businesses affected by her rebrand, yet there has been no official response to date.

Source: Noah Wire Services