April 22, 2025

New controversy about Meghan Markle's animated series Pearl

New controversy about Meghan Markle's animated series Pearl

It’s a very busy Tuesday with multiple major stories.  We’ll cover Meghan’s weekly podcast episode in a separate episode later today.

The Duchess of Sussex does find herself at the centre of a fresh controversy following claims by a British...

It’s a very busy Tuesday with multiple major stories. We’ll cover Meghan’s weekly podcast episode in a separate episode later today.

The Duchess of Sussex does find herself at the centre of a fresh controversy following claims by a British children’s author that Meghan’s now-abandoned animated Netflix project bore “striking similarities” to her own literary work.

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WEBVTT

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Callaroga Shark Media.

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Hello and welcome through Pallas intrig Game. Your host Mark Francis.

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It's been a very busy Tuesday with multiple major stories.

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Will cover Meghan's weekly podcast episode in a separate episode

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later today. The Duchess of Sussex does find herself at

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the center of a fresh controversy following claims by a

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British children's author that Meghan's now abandoned animated Netflix project

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bore striking similarities to her own literary work. Meil Elliot,

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author and creator of the character Pearl Power, told The

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Mail on Sunday that she had sent a formal legal

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letter followed by two personal notes, directly to the Duchess,

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raising concerns over potential infringement of copyright in relation to

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Meghan's proposed series Perl. That show, announced in twenty twenty

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one as part of the Duke and Duchesses reported eighty

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million pounds deal with Netflix, was to follow the story

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of a young girl discovering her inner strength through the

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example of influential women in history. Meghan was listed as

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executive producer alongside David Furnish, the husband of Sir Elton

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John Elliott's own creation, Pearl Power, not to be confused

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with Pearl, centers on what she describes as a similarly

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empowered young girl and pre dates Megan's version by seven years.

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Speaking to The Mail on Sunday, she said, Meghan is

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a feminist who sticks up for other women, so I

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was disappointed and confused to see how similar Netflix's proposed

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show Pearl was to my own Pearl Power. Of course,

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I can't know if anyone on her team had seen

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it and been inspired by it, but the similarities were

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too great for me to ignore. She added. I am

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glad that Meghan's Pearl show was dropped, and I hoped

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that I had something to do with it, But what

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I really wanted was for it to have gone ahead

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and to have been acknowledged or invited to work as

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a collaborator on the series. Pearl was my dream project,

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and now, annoyingly, if I reprise my own creation, it's

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going to look like I have copied the idea from

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someone else. Netflix canceled the Duchess's animated project in twenty

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twenty two, and Archmore Productions subsequently removed all mention of

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it from its website. Royal author Phil Dampia told the son,

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it's yet another example of how the people around her

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don't seem to have done their research before she comes

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out with projects. And there's nothing worse than being accused

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of plagiarism or of copying other people's work. He added,

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these are just schoolboy errors and proper due diligence is

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not being done. Megan made a surprise return to Instagram,

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sharing an Easter greeting with her followers in the form

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of a lighthearted video. In the clip, MegaNet scene in

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a white sleeveless shirt dress, watching as a line of

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ducklings crosses a path an Easter tableau underscored by the

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upbeat rhythm of Louis Jordan's Chu Chu chiboogie. Caption reads,

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wishing you a happy Easter full of love and surprises.

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In another twist to the ever evolving public reception at

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Meghan Marku's media ventures, American Broadcast to Megan Kelly has

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released a spoof of the Duchess's Netflix program With Love Meghan,

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delivered with more than a touch of satire under the

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title with Love Megan. This one spelled with a wy

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to match the way Megan Kelly spells her first name.

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The parody sees Kelly mimicking the tone and style of

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the original series, which features Megan Sussex in a carefully

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curated domestic setting preparing popcorn and treats for guests. I

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love to elevate a guest's visit microwave popcorn. It's so simple.

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Only the lazy people don't do this. Kelly quips at

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the top of the segment, and she prepares snacks alongside

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her guest, Daily Male columnist Mauring Callahan. Much like the

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original series, The two are seen transferring snacks from their

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packaging into cellophane bags, a detail from Megan's show that

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drew Why spread mockery online upon its release. Meanwhile, William

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and Kate's decision not to spend Easter with the main

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clan reportedly raised eyebrows, and Insider tells us Weekly this

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is a big deal. It's a royal tradition for the

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family to attend this together. Everyone understood the family not

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attending last year when Kate was sick, but there's been

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a lot of raised eyebrows at the Palace a Mountain.

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William's decision to skip again this year, it feels like

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a deliberate move and even a snub. The plans were

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for the Duke of Downtime to resume royal duties this week,

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following yet another vacation. More palace into the moment as

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The Duke of York made a rare public appearance attending

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Easter Sunday service at Saint George's Chapel Windsor alongside his Majesty,

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the King, just days after revelations emerged linking Prince Andrew

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to a Chinese national accused of espionage, accompanied by Princess Anne,

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her husband, Vice Admiral Sir Tom Lawrence, and his former

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wife Sarah, Duchess of York. Prince Andrew was seen entering

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the chapel ahead of his sister, The Princess Royal paused

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briefly to exchange words outside with the Dean of Windsor,

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the Right Reverend Christopher Coxworth. Their Majesty, King Charles and

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Queen Carmilla arrived a few moments later, waving to the

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gathered crowds before entering the chapel. The Prince and Prince

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as of Wales did not attend the service, as they

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were once again on vacation and nothing must interrupt that,

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even if William is to be the next head of

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the church. Andrew was spotted again on Monday, this time

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on horseback. His outing follows commentary from body language expert

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Judy James, who described the Princess chapel demeanor as one

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of cocky arrogance, likening it to a dramatic re entry

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to the royal life. Speaking to the mirror. As James said,

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Prince Andrew's body language made this look like his debutants

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coming out ball as he performed a kind of royal

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quickstep to appear back in the role of second son

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to the late Queen. Andrew waited until the rest of

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the firm were in place before suddenly appearing from the

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gloom of the chapel doorway, where he must have been hiding.

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Before making his dramatic entrance, James told the Express that

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it's clear the leader of the family isn't actually the King,

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but rather Princess Anne. James said prior to the arrival

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of her brother Charles, Anne appeared fully defined in terms

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of family head and host, waiting by the entrance to

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the chapel, chatting to the clergyman and greeting family members.

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Her affection for and friendship with Sophie looked obvious from

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the warmth of their greeting and the way Anne appeared

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to immediately say something to make Sophie laugh. Our colleagues

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at the Swedish Palace intrigue might have a Megan of

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their own to obsess over. Princess Madeleine of Sweden has

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drawn comparisons to Megan after launching her own business venture

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while still retaining times to the royal family. The forty

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two year old royal youngest child of King Carl sixteenth

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Gustav and Queen Sylvia, recently unveiled min Lan, a natural

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skincare line. Though the project has officially deemed a private initiative,

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it has nonetheless prompted scrutiny and some criticism and observers

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questioning whether royal life and commerce can or should coexist.

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In a candid interview with NTL News, the princess addressed

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those concerns directly. I can understand their concerns and the

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critics that they have, she said, But a couple of

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years ago there was a big decision that they're slimming

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down and focusing more on my sister, the Crown Princess.

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She added, so me and my brother, Prince Carl Philip

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kind of gave us the opportunity to do other things. Nowadays,

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I don't have many official duties anymore, so then I said, okay,

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I'll do it. Importantly, Princess Madeleine would not use her

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royal title in connection with the business, instead operating under

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the name Madeleine Bernardert, which is Swedish for Magan Markle.

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Though the project drew parallels with the Duchess of Sussex

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and tones surrounding Princess Madeleine's announcement has thus far been

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largely congratulatory. Among those to offer praise was Princess Martha

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Luise of Norway, herself a royal balancing tradition and entrepreneurship,

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who wrote, congratulations, this is so amazing. No word yet.

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If Madeline plans to add a podcast or a cooking show,

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and there you have it. In fact, the email us

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who addresses the Palace Intry at the gmail and dot com.

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Please follow us on Spotify, Apple or the app of

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your choice and leave us a nice review. If you're

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enjoying the show, don't forget to check out that show

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White Smoke with all the people news going on. It's

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available wherever you get your podcast, including this one and

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Mark Francis My thanks to John mcderman. This is Palace

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intriguing in good terms