Meghan Markle is seeking to expand trademark protection for her As Ever lifestyle brand around the world and has encountered objections in several countries, Newsweek can reveal. The Duchess of Sussex announced in June 2025 that she planned to take her business global and filings from a series of countries show her plans taking shape. The company has sought rights covering everything from cocktails and cosmetics to home furnishings, retail stores, films, television shows, and podcasts.
But applications in South Korea, Japan, Brazil and New Zealand have encountered objections from trademark authorities, who questioned the breadth of some proposed business activities. South Korean officials also flagged a potential conflict between the Duchess of Sussex's latest application and earlier As Ever trademarks recorded under the same company. There is nothing to suggest Meghan intends to launch every product or service listed, since trademark applications are often filed defensively, to stop other companies setting up with similar names or branding.
A source close to As Ever told Newsweek: "We’re not worried. This is all pretty routine. There are different processes for different territories.
The main thing is the As Ever brand continues to grow and go from strength to strength." To . Such hurdles are common when setting up a business and it may be she overcomes the objections in time, as she did when establishing the business in the U.S., Britain and Canada. However, the filings suggest Meghan's global expansion may be broader than initially thought.
As Ever appears to have made the necessary alterations to her trademark applications in Britain and Canada, and Australia is also thought to be a target country for Meghan's business. In correspondence, South Korea's Ministry of Intellectual Property raised the possibility of a "likelihood of confusion" between the Duchess of Sussex’s latest application and earlier As Ever trademarks. The earlier applications cited by officials are also listed as belonging to 2022 Trademarks LLC—the same company behind the Duchess of Sussex's latest As Ever application.
Examiners said the latest mark was identical in sound and meaning to an earlier As Ever trademark. The objection covers alcoholic beverages, non-alcoholic cocktail mixes, retail services and entertainment involving films, television shows and podcasts. Officials also questioned descriptions of products including jams, sauces, spices, coffee, tea, biscuits, chocolate and honey.
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