A popular grown-up coloring books author, Mel Elliott, has accused Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex of plagiarism. As reported by Daily Mail, Elliott alleged that the similarities between Markle’s canceled Netflix series, Pearl, and her children’s book Pearl Power, are too striking to be merely a coincidence.
In July 2021, Markle announced that she and Prince Harry’s Archewell Productions had a new animated series, Pearl, in the works for Netflix. It was to be, as Netflix described, “a family series that follows a 12-year-old girl’s heroic adventure as she learns to step into her power and finds inspiration from influential women throughout history.” Elliott’s character, however, was written more than a decade ago as a tribute to her daughter, Pearl. While the original books did not have Pearl meeting women in history, they still focused on female empowerment and equality.
By 2019, Elliott had begun turning Pearl Power into an animated TV series. For each episode, she imagined Pearl showing a project about a remarkable woman to her classmates before heading off on a shared adventure. The first test animation with tennis legend and women’s sports equality campaigner, Billie Jean King, was publicly displayed on Elliott’s website and social media platforms. She planned to feature women from various fields, including science, arts, politics, and sports, in future episodes. Consequently, therefore, when Markle unveiled Pearl in 2021 as a series that would celebrate extraordinary women throughout history, Elliott sent a legal letter alleging potential infringement of copyright.
Mel Elliott Admits She Is Happy That Meghan Markle’s ‘Pearl’ Was Canceled
Image via Daily Mail
To Elliott’s frustration, her legal letter and two follow-up personal letters to Archwell and Netflix seeking updates went unacknowledged. However, she speculates they might have played a role in the cancellation of the show — an outcome she admits she is happy about.
In her words, “I am glad that Meghan’s Pearl show was dropped, and I hope that I had something to do with it. But what I really wanted was for it to have gone ahead and for me to have been acknowledged or invited to work as a collaborator on the series. Pearl was my dream project, and now, annoyingly, if I reprise my own creation, it’s going to look like I have copied the idea from someone else.”
Elliott explained she chose not to make her concerns public, fearing potential backlash from The Sussex Squad — Markle’s devoted fans, especially having been diagnosed with breast cancer and being too vulnerable to handle online harassment at the time. She only decided to speak up now after noticing the duchess’s projects bearing some unfortunate resemblances to existing content, from a TV show to a Spanish coat of arms. Despite these allegations, Elliott maintains that Pearl Power would make “a brilliant and inspirational cartoon series for kids.”
Elliott’s debut novel, Alice and Audrey, is available to preorder on her website. Also, Markle’s With Love, Meghan is available to stream on Netflix.
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With Love, Meghan |
|---|---|
| Host/Cast | Meghan, Duchess of Sussex |
| Release Date | January 15, 2025 |
| Stream On | Netflix |
| Directed by | Michael Steed |
| Produced by | Archewell Productions, The Intellectual Property Corporation, Sony Pictures Television |
| Based On | Original concept by Meghan, Duchess of Sussex |
| Plot Summary | A lifestyle series where Meghan shares tips on cooking, gardening, and crafting, emphasizing joy and personal connections. |
| Musical Elements | Features warm, eclectic mix of soul, soft rock, jazz, and instrumental pop |
| Current Status | Premiered on January 15, 2025, on Netflix |
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