Apollonia Kotero Trademark Dispute With Prince Estate Concludes in Confidential Agreement

The legal fight between singer Apollonia Kotero and the estate of music icon Prince has officially ended. Both sides have reached a confidential settlement, closing a trademark dispute over the name "Apollonia," made famous in the 1984 film "Purple Rain."

Court records show that both parties filed a joint notice of dismissal this week, Billboard reported. They agreed to end the case quietly, with each side covering its own legal fees. No details of the agreement were made public.

Apollonia's lawyer, Daniel M. Cislo, confirmed the resolution and said his client was satisfied with how things ended.

"We are pleased to report that the case has been settled and that our client, Apollonia, is very pleased with the outcome," he said. He also added that she hopes both sides can continue honoring Prince's legacy.

The dispute centered on Kotero's legal right to use the name "Apollonia," which Prince gave her when she starred as his love interest in "Purple Rain".

Apollonia Kotero, Prince Estate Reach Confidential Deal

Kotero, whose real name is Patricia Kotero, argued in her lawsuit that the estate was trying to take control of the name and related trademarks without proper rights. She claimed Prince never officially trademarked the name before his death in 2016 and said she had used it for decades in her music and acting career.

In court filings, she also said losing the name would harm her identity and livelihood.

According to RollingStone, the Prince estate, which manages his legacy through Paisley Park Enterprises, said its responsibility was to protect his intellectual property.

It also stated that it had tried to resolve the issue privately and denied ever directly threatening Kotero with legal action.

At one point, the estate argued the matter should be handled by the US Patent and Trademark Office instead of the courts. Kotero, however, brought the dispute into federal court last year, escalating the legal battle.