U.S. Officials DENY Prince Harry & Meghan Markle's Archetypes Trademark After Botched Spotify Deal

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle can't seem to get a break.

The duo recently suffered a heavy financial blow as music streaming platform Spotify decided to terminate their deal, which was reportedly worth $20 million.

Now, the former senior royals have been dealt another blow, which comes in the form of their podcast name, "Archetypes," being rejected by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office after the couple applied to patent it.

Keep on reading to learn more.

According to the Daily Mail, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has rejected the application by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to trademark the name "Archetype" for their podcast series.

This podcast focused on women's issues, was launched by the couple in 2021 after they stepped down from their senior royal roles and relocated to the United States. It was also part of their content creation deal with Spotify, which was recently ended for undisclosed reasons.

Per reports, the rejection of the application was based on the "likelihood of confusion" with an existing trademark owned by Archetypes LLC, a company based in Arizona. Archetypes LLC holds the trademark for its collection of books and articles related to topics such as "nutrition, fitness, sexuality, and psychological self-improvement."

In response to the rejection, the Sussexes' lawyer, Marjorie Witter Norman, has requested an additional three months to refine their application for the trademark.

Just a week ago, Harry and Meghan suffered a heavy financial blow when their podcast deal with Spotify was terminated.

"Spotify and Archewell Audio have mutually agreed to part ways and are proud of the series we made together," read a statement released by the parties to Entertainment Tonight.

The deal, which was signed in 2020 in collaboration with the couple's Archewell Audio, only birthed 13 hours of content, including 12 episodes of "Archetypes" and a one-time holiday special.

Guests like Mariah Carey, Serena Williams, and Mindy Kaling were among the slew of celebs that came on the platform during its short-lived existence.

The loss of the deal implies that the couple won't receive anywhere near the entire amount agreed upon when they inked the deal in 2020.

Since the deal was terminated, several sources have made claims as to why the streaming company decided to part ways with the Sussexes, per Page Six.

One speculated that it was because the podcast didn't live up to its potential despite debuting amid much fanfare.

"Although 'Archetypes' did well and got a couple of awards, when you go into a deal like this, to have just one series over that course of time is not great," said the source, who noted that "the Obamas," who had a deal with Spotify, performed way better.

Another source said that Spotify decided to "focus on people who drive strong audiences, like Alex Cooper, Dax Shepard, and Emma Chamberlain."

The source added, "There are a lot of great creators who are very eager. Meghan and Harry are the outliers on all of this; I think they have come off as being lazy and difficult."

With the couple no longer having the Spotify deal, many have speculated that they might find it difficult to cope with their massive bills.

The couple currently owes a large mortgage on the enormous Tuscan-style property they paid $14.7 million for in June 2020, among other money-guzzlers.

Harry and Meghan must also pay an annual property tax of close to $200,000, along with catering for staff salaries and maintaining the residence.

An estimated $2 million is spent annually on the couple's private security detail. The pair have also had to pay a sizable sum in legal fees as a result of Harry's continuous legal disputes with the British press.

Despite their financial difficulties, a source claimed that the pair is not "broke, but they're going to have to keep spending their money instead of banking it."