Meghan Markle is being accused of copying a children’s book series for her now-canceled animated Netflix project, Pearl.

British author Mel Elliott, creator of the Pearl Power books, claims the show shared “striking similarities” with her work and says she reached out to Markle’s team with legal concerns—but never received a reply.

Elliott, who published Pearl Power between 2014 and 2018, says she found it disappointing, especially since Markle is known for championing women’s rights.

She emphasized that while she can’t confirm if anyone from Markle’s team directly copied her ideas, the resemblance was too significant to ignore.

Pearl was announced in 2021 as part of Prince Harry and Meghan’s $100 million Netflix deal. The show was to follow a 12-year-old girl who draws inspiration from influential women throughout history.

However, Netflix ultimately scrapped the project, citing a shift away from animation.

Elliott says her biggest frustration wasn’t the show itself but the silence from Markle’s production company and Netflix. She hoped for collaboration—not cancellation—and still feels let down by the lack of acknowledgment.

This isn’t the first time Markle’s projects have drawn comparison to others, including her lifestyle series With Love, Meghan and her As Ever brand launch, both of which faced criticism for being too similar to existing content.