Meghan Markle 'started working on her animated Netflix series BEFORE Megxit' - Daily Mail

The Duchess of Sussex is teaming up with David Furnish to work on the project which follows a '12-year-old heroine who finds inspiration in influential women from history'.

Sources have now claimed to Page Six that talks about this new programme have been 'active' for three years – but they also told the website that the project started as a charitable venture when Meghan was a working royal.

Meghan's husband Prince Harry told Oprah Winfrey in March that they only thought of their big deal with Netflix – said to be worth £75million - after leaving the UK for North America early last year.

It is therefore possible that the Netflix deal is something altogether separate from this newly-announced show, which Meghan could have been working on for years.

During the bombshell Oprah interview, Harry said: ‘The Netflix and the Spotify of it all, that was never part of the plan.' Meghan then added: 'No.' Oprah said: 'Because you didn't have a plan.' And Meghan said: 'We didn't have a plan.'.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, pictured in July 2018 at Marlborough House in London.

Sir Elton John and his husband David Furnish, pictured in April, who is working with Meghan.

'Like many girls her age, our heroine Pearl is on a journey of self-discovery as she tries to overcome life's daily challenges. 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.' .

Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex and I are deeply passionate about bringing the inspirational and positive stories of extraordinary women from around the world to a global audience of all ages.

This contradicted what Harry told Oprah in March when he said he stopped getting financial support from his family in the 'first quarter' of last year.

David Furnish said he was 'delighted' to be 'finally able' to announce the new Netflix series.

'Clarence House says funding continued until last summer (Q1 of the UK's fiscal year is April to June) and Harry told Oprah the same.' .

The new Netflix series, which has the working title Pearl, which will be released as part of the Sussexes' lucrative deal with streaming site Netflix.

'Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex and I are deeply passionate about bringing the inspirational and positive stories of extraordinary women from around the world to a global audience of all ages.

Harry and Meghan greet David Furnish (second left) and Sir Elton John (centre) at the European premiere of the film The Lion King in London on July 14, 2019.

Pearl is the second show from the Netflix deal that Meghan and the Duke of Sussex signed last year after Heart Of Invictus, a docuseries about the Invictus Games, with Harry both appearing and serving as executive producer

Harry and Meghan's deal with Netflix was said to be worth £75million, alongside their Spotify deal understood to be worth £18million

MailOnline has today contacted representatives for the Duchess of Sussex, Netflix and Mr Furnish for comment about the new Netflix show

The Duchess of Sussex quoted the Pulitzer Prize-nominated writer during her speech in Nyanga, South Africa, on the opening day of her and Prince Harry's South African tour in 2019. 

In Meghan and Prince Harry's bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey, she said that she spoke to one of Diana's friends about the pressures of joining the royal family 'because it's like who else could understand what it's actually like on the inside?'