Meghan Markle Accused of Copying Children's Book for Canceled Netflix Show 'Pearl,' Author Sent the Duchess Legal Letters
Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, is at the center of a new controversy after being accused of copying a British children's book for her now-canceled Netflix animated series, "Pearl."
British author Mel Elliott, creator of the 'Pearl Power' book series, claims that Markle's project bore "striking similarities" to her own work and says she sent multiple legal letters to Markle's team and Netflix, warning of potential copyright infringement.
"Meghan is a feminist who sticks up for other women, so I was disappointed and confused to see how similar Netflix's proposed show 'Pearl' was to my own 'Pearl Power,' who had been created seven years earlier," the author told DailyMail. "The similarities were too great for me to ignore."
Elliott's "Pearl Power" books, first published in 2014, follow a young girl named Pearl who learns about her own strength and draws inspiration from influential women in history. In July 2021, Markle announced her animated series "Pearl" as part of a $100 million deal with Netflix. The show was set to feature a 12-year-old girl who "learns to embrace her power and draws motivation from notable women throughout history," with Markle and David Furnish, husband of Elton John, as executive producers.
Shortly after the announcement, Elliott says she noticed the similarities and, through her lawyers, sent a formal letter in July 2021 to Markle's production company, Archewell, and to Netflix. The letter stated that the overlap between the two projects was "too numerous and too pronounced to be mere coincidence." Elliott followed up with two personal letters but says she never received a response from either party.
Netflix ultimately canceled "Pearl" in May 2022, citing a shift away from animated content as part of broader cutbacks. The project was quietly removed from Archewell's website and has not been mentioned publicly since.
This is not the first time Markle's creative projects have faced scrutiny for similarities with existing works. Recent ventures, including her lifestyle brand and podcast, have also drawn comparisons to other brands and shows, though no legal actions have followed those cases.
Representatives for Meghan Markle and Netflix have not commented publicly on the allegations.
