A polo club in Berkshire that launched with Prince Charles as its first member has lost a legal battle with a Hollywood fashion firm in a bid to launch its own range of accessories. The Royal County of Berkshire Polo Club has quickly become one of Britain's most elite sporting venues since The Prince of Wales joined when it was founded in 1982. It's attracted royals and celebrities including Prince William and Harry, actress Stephanie Powers and Rolling Stone Bill Wyman. But attempts to cash in on this elite status by launching a brand of fashion and polo-related goods have been scuppered by the European Court after objections fromthe Beverly Hills Polo Club. Prince Charles, right and Actress Stefanie Powers are among those to have frequented the Royal County of Berkshire Polo Club since it was founded in 1982. Charles was the first member of the club . Bill Wyman, bass guitarist for The Rolling Stones at the club with a friend in 1987 . The ruling will be all the more frustrating for bosses at the Berkshire club, given that its rival isn't even a real polo club and openly admits to using the sport to create the perception of eliteness. The Berkshire club had applied to register its polo player logo on four classes of item including glasses, watches, jewellery and leather goods including travel bags, whips, harnesses and saddlery. But it was opposed by the Beverly Hills brand on the grounds that people could confuse the logo with their own and the case was eventually taken to the European Court of Justice in Luxembourg. While it allowed the logo on whips, harnesses and saddlery, which discerning customers were unlikely to get confused, it ruled against the Berkshire club on applications for the other items. It said: 'It is true that the polo player is facing left and holding his mallet upright, while the earlier marks the polo player is facing right and holding his mallet ready to strike the ball. 'However, those slight differences are not sufficient enough to reduce significantly the similarity deriving from the fact that both the signs at issue display the figure of a polo player astride a galloping horse,' The Times reports. In 2006, the club was also blocked from using its logo on perfume and soap after a challenge from Ralph Lauren, famous for its Polo brand, also featuring a polo player, swinging a mallet. Too similar: Logo for the Royal County of Berkshire Polo Club . The Royal County of Berkshire Polo Club was founded in 1985 by music mogul Bryan Morrison, who made a fortune working with stars including Wham, Pink Ffloyd, Elton John and Robin Gibb from The Beegees. After Prince Charles became its first member, it quickly gained an international reputation and attracted stars from the music, fashion and film industries. It also became a favourite with the royals, with the late Major Ronald Furguson, father of Sarah, Duchess of York, being employed as the sponsorship manager. Founder Morrison died in 2008, having spent two years in a coma after being thrown from his pony at the club. His son, Jamie, is an England polo player and is now involved in the commercial side of the club. The Beverly Hill Polo Club was also founded in 1982 and claims that seventy percent of potential customers surveyed in the US believe that the label's name is a real polo club. Bryan Morrison, founder of the Royal Berkshire Polo Club, relaxing in the garden of his home . Royal Visits: Duchess of York, Sarah Furguson, left, and Princess Beatrice with Eliza Furguson, right, at the Royal Berkshire Polo Club. Sarah and Eliza's father, Ronald Furguson, was the club's sponsorship manager . Now internationally known, it boasts: 'The brand captures the excitement of the sport of polo along with the exclusivity of membership in a private club. 'With its highly aspirational iconic logo, the brand was immediately successful in the USA and rapidly emerged as a global brand.' Founded in 1982, it was originally the site of the Windsor Forest Stud, a racing yard that fielded horses for Royal Ascot throughout the 20th century. It’s signature race rail and gallops can still be seen today . Bryan Morrison bought it as a rundown estate in 1985, vowing to convert it into a premier polo club, but it was a monumental task for him and his team to undertake . After a rapid and total transformation, Prince Charles became the first member, attracting international interest. The first chukkas were played in 1986 . Since then, Hollywood stars and rock'n'roll legends have frequented the club. Bill Wyman from the Rolling Stones, Sarah Furguson, Duchess of York, and Jodie Kidd . Founder Bryan Morrison died in 2008 after spending two years in a coma. He was thrown off his horse while riding at the club . Son Jamie, a former England polo player, is now involved in the commercial side of the club and has plans to take it into a new modern era . It's currently expanding to provide two new state-of-the-art polo fields .
Royal County of Berkshire Polo Club attracted celebrities including Jodie Kidd, Princess Tamara Czartoryski-Borbon and Rolling Stones' Bill Wyman . European Court of Justice ruled it can't launch fashion label with its own logo because it's too similar to existing Beverly Hill Polo Club's . Rival brand admits it's not even a polo club but exploits elite sport for fashion to make customers feel they have 'membership to a club'