Meghan Markle Accused Of Plagiarizing Children's Book

Meghan Markle has been accused of plagiarizing her new children's book titled "The Bench." According to Forbes, Meghan's debut picture book is set to be released in June. However, some people have made bold claims about the story, saying that it follows too closely to "The Boy on the Bench," written by Corrinne Averiss. The latter tells the tale of a young boy sitting on a playground bench who is unsure if he is "brave enough" to join in playing with the other children. Meghan's book highlights the "shared and enduring moments between a diverse group of fathers and sons—moments of peace and reflection, trust and belief, discovery and learning, and comfort and nurture," according to the publisher's description via Forbes.

Although Meghan's book has not yet been released, several people have slammed the Duchess of Sussex's new literary work, according to Page Six. "Before you run out and waste money on the book by Harry's wife, read 'The Boy on the Bench' by Corrinne Averiss and Gabriel Alborozo ... The original," one person tweeted. "I'll wager a bet that Corrinne's book is in Archie's collection. That's where her idea came from. I don't believe that this is all her own thinking or reflects her idyllic life whatsoever," another critic claimed, according to Page Six's report. Interestingly, Averiss responded to the claims on Twitter. Read on to find out what she said.

Meghan Markle hasn't responded to the plagiarism claims, but Corrinne Averiss took to Twitter to defend the duchess amid the backlash. "Reading the description and published excerpt of the Duchess's new book, this is not the same story or the same theme as 'The Boy on the Bench.' I don't see any similarities," Averiss tweeted on May 5. Although the tweet received some positive feedback by way of likes and retweets, Averiss appears to have turned the comments off, perhaps uninterested in potential backlash, bickering, or other negativity from social media users. 

The Duchess of Sussex previously told Deadline that the basis for "The Bench" came from a poem that she wrote for her husband, Prince Harry, on his first Father's Day. "That poem became this story," she told the outlet. Meghan went on to say that the illustrations done by Christian Robinson "layered in beautiful and ethereal watercolor illustrations that capture the warmth, joy, and comfort of the relationship between fathers and sons from all walks of life." 

For those interested, "The Bench" will also be available in an audio version, which is narrated by Meghan herself.