Meghan Markle Defended by Author After She’s Accused of Plagiarizing New Book
Meghan Markle has been accused of plagiarism—but one author is defending the Duchess of Sussex.
On Tuesday (May 4), Markle announced her first children's book, The Bench. Following the announcement, social media users immediately drew comparisons to the 2018 children's book The Boy on the Bench, by Corrinne Averiss and Gabriel Alborozo.
Besides the similarities in name, some folks are argued that The Bench and The Boy on the Bench have a similar plot.
On Amazon, a description of Averiss and Alborozo's book reads: "The playground is packed with children playing, but Tom is sitting on a bench with his dad. He's just not sure he's brave enough to join in ... Tom can't see a space for himself anywhere in the playground."
Markle's book also deals with the father-son bond, but instead, it is seen through a mother's eyes.
Following the controversy and after reading a summary of and excerpt from Markle's upcoming book, Averiss came to her defense on Twitter.
"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.
"The Bench started as a poem I wrote for my husband on Father’s Day, the month after Archie was born," Markle said in a press release. "That poem became this story."
"[Illustrator] 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; this representation was particularly important to me, and Christian and I worked closely to depict this special bond through an inclusive lens," Markle continued. "My hope is that The Bench resonates with every family, no matter the makeup, as much as it does with mine.”
The Bench is out June 8.