MEGHAN Markle and Prince Harry initially planned to name their charitable foundation ‘Archeway’ – but had to ditch the name and opt for ‘Archewell’ instead.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex confirmed last week that they would be calling their non-profit Archewell after their son and the Greek word for ‘source of action’.
But trademark paperwork appears to show that the name was not their first choice.
The couple submitted an application for ‘Archeway’ with the United States Patent and Trademark Office on February 28.
That application, which was obtained by HOAR, was then axed by the couple just a week later on March 6.
“The owner of the trademark application withdrew (e.g. abandoned) the application and the application is no longer active,” reads the trademark application.
The Archeway application is now marked as “Dead.”
Four days after abandoning Archeway, a new application was sent by the couple’s attorney seeking to trademark ‘Archewell’.
That application was quickly followed by a number of others who hoped to capitalize from the name when they learned Meghan and Harry were trademarking it for their company.
Meghan and Harry have only submitted ‘Archewell’ for trademark in the US however, much like they only sought to trademark Sussex Royal in the UK last year before dropping that application.
Last week, they confirmed the news in a brief statement from their hideaway in California.
“Like you, our focus is on supporting efforts to tackle the global Covid-19 pandemic but faced with this information coming to light, we felt compelled to share the story of how this came to be,” the couple said in a statement.
“Before Sussex Royal came the idea of ‘Arche’ – the Greek word meaning ‘source of action’. We connected to this concept for the charitable organisation we hoped to build one day, and it became the inspiration for our son’s name.”
The statement continued: “To do something of meaning, to do something that matters. Archewell is a name that combines an ancient word for strength and action, and another that evokes the deep resources we each must draw upon.
“We look forward to launching Archewell when the time is right.”
They are looking to apply their new trademark to a host of products and services.
According to their trademark application, these include:
- articles, educational materials, magazines, electronic books, and audio books on a variety of topics
- fiction and non-fiction books on a variety of topics
- clothing, namely, tops, bottoms, shirts, skirts, dresses, pants, jeans, shorts, sweaters, jackets, socks; loungewear; rainwear, footwear; headwear
- charitable services, namely, promoting public awareness of a variety of causes; charitable services, namely, coordination of non-monetary contributions to charities and non-profits
- charitable fundraising services; charitable foundation services, namely, providing fundraising activities, scholarships and financial assistance for programs and services of others
- providing information related to education services
- organizing, conducting and hosting events and exhibitions for cultural, sporting, health, mental health and entertainment purposes
- providing information relating to cultural, sporting, health, mental health and entertainment events and activities
- providing a website featuring information in the field of physical fitness
- consulting services in the field of physical fitness
- counseling services in the field of nutrition, general health and mental health; mental health therapy service
- providing a website featuring information in the field of nutrition, general health and mental health; counseling services in the field of nutrition, general health and mental health
- mental health therapy service
- organizing and conducting support groups for persons in need; providing emotional counseling and emotional support services for persons in need; providing case management services, namely, coordinating social, personal care, and psychological services
Meghan and Harry are now members of the private sector after stepping down from their royal duties last month.
In January, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry announced they were stepping down as senior royals to carve out a “more progressive” role within the monarchy.
On March 26, HOAR exclusively revealed the ex-royals had set up permanent home in California after fleeing the coronavirus lockdown in Canada.
There is no word of where they are staying at this time, but they are said to be looking to homes to buy in the Malibu area.
