Netflix drops Meghan Markle’s animated series

Netflix won’t be moving forward with  Meghan Markle ’s animated series, Pearl (working title).  Deadline  reported on May 1 that the Duchess of Sussex’s family series, which was still in the development stage, had been “quietly dropped.” According to  Reuters , dropping Pearl and several other projects “was part of strategic decisions on production of animated series.”

The series, created by Meghan, was set to center “on the adventures of a 12-year-old girl, who is inspired by a variety of influential women from history.”

In a previous statement, the Duchess of Sussex said: “Like many girls her age, our heroine Pearl is on a journey of self-discovery as she tries to overcome life’s daily challenges.”

Meghan added, “I’m thrilled that Archewell Productions, partnered with the powerhouse platform of Netflix, and these incredible producers, will together bring you this new animated series, which celebrates extraordinary women throughout history. David Furnish and I have been eager to bring this special series to light, and I am delighted we are able to announce it today.”

Pearl, which was first anounced in July 2021, was going to be the first animated series from Meghan and Prince Harry’s Archewell Productions. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex created Archewell Productions “to produce programming that informs, elevates, and inspires.” Archewell Productions’ first Netflix project, Heart of Invictus, was announced in April 2021.