Did Meghan Markle copy British author's work for Netflix's 'Pearl'?
What's the story
Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, is facing plagiarism accusations from British children's author Mel Elliott.
Elliott alleges that Markle's now-canceled animated Netflix series Pearl had "striking similarities" to her own Pearl Power book series.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, Elliott stated she was disappointed to see the similarities between the two projects, especially considering Markle's reputation as a feminist advocate.
Book series
Elliott's 'Pearl Power' books were published before announcement of 'Pearl'
Elliott's Pearl Power books were published in 2014, 2015, 2018 and were considered for TV adaptation in 2019.
In July 2021, Netflix and Markle announced their venture.
Apparently, at that time, Elliott's legal team had sent a letter to Markle's team alleging a potential copyright infringement.
The letter read, "The similarities between your proposed animation series and my client's work appear to be too many and too striking to be mere coincidence."
Reaction
Markle's team never responded to legal letters
Elliott said she sent two more letters but was disappointed Markle's team never responded.
She said, "What saddened me most is that my objection was never acknowledged — neither Netflix nor (Archewell Productions) responded to me when I would have loved to have contributed and collaborated."
The author clarified she didn't want Markle's show canceled, but to be "acknowledged or invited to work as a collaborator on the series."
Show details
'Pearl' was part of Markle and Prince Harry's deal
Pearl was included in Markle and Prince Harry's $100 million deal with Netflix.
Markle was an executive producer along with David Furnish, Elton John's husband.
The series revolved around a 12-year-old girl who "learns to step into her power and finds inspiration from influential women throughout history."
But Netflix scrapped it in 2022, citing a shift away from animation at that time.
Other projects
Markle's other Netflix projects and recent controversies
Markle and Harry have released multiple projects with Netflix, including the five-part Harry & Meghan docuseries in 2022 and the documentary Heart of Invictus in August 2023.
In 2024, Harry released his Polo documentary, in which he barely featured.
Most recently, Markle launched her eight-part With Love, Meghan lifestyle series, which received a lukewarm reception from critics.
Before the Pearl drama, she also faced copying claims over her lifestyle business venture and logo design.