Apollonia filed a lawsuit against Prince’s estate over rights to her name after decades of using it without objection from the late artist.
Patty Kotero is taking legal action against Prince’s estate over the rights to the name, “Apollonia,” arguing that she’s been using it for decades without objection—until now.
The singer and actress filed a lawsuit Tuesday (August 19) in the Central District of California against Paisley Park Enterprises LLC, the business entity managing Prince’s estate.
At the heart of the dispute is ownership of the names “Apollonia” and “Apollonia 6,” both of which Kotero says she’s held trademarks for since 2016 and 2018, respectively.
According to court documents cited by Bloomberg Law, Kotero is asking the court to confirm her legal claim to the names and block the estate from interfering with her trademarks.
The filing came after the estate submitted its own applications in June 2025 to federally register “Apollonia” for clothing and entertainment services.
Along with that move, the estate also petitioned the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to cancel Kotero’s trademarks, citing contracts from the early 1980s.
Kotero pushed back in her complaint, stating that Prince never objected to her using the name during his lifetime, nor did anyone acting on his behalf.
Kotero also argues that any claims the estate may have had are no longer valid due to the statute of limitations and the estate’s long-standing acceptance of her professional identity.
The legal battle stems from her time starring alongside Prince in the 1984 film Purple Rain and performing as the lead singer of the group Apollonia 6, which was created by Prince.
Since then, she’s continued to use the name in performances and merchandise.
As of now, the estate has not issued a public response to the lawsuit.
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