Meghan Markle is accused of being a copycat AGAIN: New podcast has same name as US businesswoman's YouTube series that launched a year ago

Meghan Markle was today plunged into a fresh copycat row after it emerged a series also called 'Confessions of a Female Founder' has existed for more than a year.

The Duchess of Sussex yesterday confirmed the title for her new podcast - but Kady Meite, owner and founder of hoodie-hijab clothing firm Veil Street, already has a series of YouTube videos with the same name, about her business achivements.

The 24-year-old from Philadelphia, who has 45,000 followers on TikTok, posted her first episode in October 2023 about how to have a successful 'drop' launch event.

A second episode followed in November 2024 about 'where it all started', in which Ms Meite spoke about her life story having been in business since the age of 16.

Then a third episode released about six weeks ago on February 3 saw the successful Muslim entrepreneur discuss 'six things I wish I knew before building a business'.

Meghan's new podcast is also close in its name to entrepreneur Kelci Borges's popular 'Confessions Of A CEO' podcast which focuses on female founders; and another called 'Confessions of a Founder' by businesswoman Alysha M Campbell.

Back in the 1970s, the 'Confessions Of' series was a run of four British sex comedy films, starring Robin Askwith, beginning with Confessions Of A Window Cleaner.

Episodes of Ms Meite's podcast began being shared on social media in the hours after Meghan's new podcast was unveiled, with one X user writing: 'Meghan couldn't even come up with an original title. She had to copy it! Unreal!' 

Another said: 'Is she serious? She can't think of a single original idea!' However, the YouTuber has defended the Duchess, saying that she 'understands coincidences'.

Ms Meite told Yahoo Lifestyle: 'I completely understand why people are drawing connections, and I truly appreciate the support and understand their intention.

'But I also understand coincidences as well. It is highly unlikely Meghan even came across my channel but I am flattered by the thought. 

'What does concern me is how quickly this is turning into another reason to drag a woman down. That's not something I want to contribute to. I know firsthand what it feels like to have my work actually copied... this isn't that.'

MailOnline has contacted Ms Meite and Meghan's representatives for comment. 

Ms Meite created the world's first hoodie-hijab combination – known as the 'Hoodjab' - which was inspired by 90s hip-hop and 2000s street fashion. She has also described the clothes as falling within a new category of 'modest streetwear'.

She has secured design patents for her products, and says on her website that the clothes aim to help Muslim women like her 'stay stylish, comfortable and modest'.

Ms Meite has a communications and media studies degree from West Chester University of Pennsylvania and launched her first business KYM Cosmetics in 2019,

Introducing the first episode of her podcast, she said: 'Hey guys, my name's Kady, I'm founder and owner of Veil Street. So excited to kick off today's video and I want to give you guys a grand welcome to episode one of Confessions of a Female Founder, a tell-all series where I share my experiences and advice as a 23-year-old entrepreneur.

'I've been in business since the age of 16, I know I'm a pretty seasoned business owner with eight years under my belt but I still feel like it's a never-ending learning process and I'm just excited to be here to share all the things that I do and don't know and basically be your guys' business bestie.

'So today's episode is going to be the key steps that I take in order to ensure that I have a successful drop or successful launch and sell out every single time I feel like I've done every sort of business tactic whether it's just buying product, releasing when you have it and just having items in stock all the time.'

She added: 'One of the biggest reasons why I created the series in the first place is that when you're a business owner there is no one true guide book. Every person's journey is going to look incredibly different.

'There's no such thing as seeing someone's formula and deciding you're going to copy it and you're just going to have the exact same success. That's pretty much impossible in the world of business and there's no one telling you every day what there is that you need to do and you pretty much have to get good at being your own boss.'

She also said that her cosmetics brand earned $20,000 in sales in one day on her 20th birthday, adding: 'I have learned that every day that you wake up it is a blessing because you still have the opportunity to pursue your dreams.'

It follows a series of copycat rows after the Duchess's new show 'With Love, Meghan' was released on Netflix on March 4 and was compared to Pamela Anderson's new cooking show that launched on Canada 's Flavour Network earlier this month.

And in one clip from the kitchen of the rented $5million reality TV Montecito mansion where the show is set, Meghan, who tells viewers she'll share 'some little tips and tricks', makes a 'Ladybug'-themed appetiser.

However, viewers noted that recipes for the dish have been around since 2015 on dozens of food blogs and Pinterest pages. They also feature in the US lifestyle magazine First For Women in 2018 and the popular TikTok account Home Cooks World in 2023.

Another part of the show saw Meghan try beekeeping – but some royal fans pointed out that this is also one of her sister-in-law Kate's longtime hobbies.

The Princess of Wales was pictured happily tending to a hive at Anmer Hall in Norfolk in an image released in May 2023 to mark World Bee Day.

Other viewers compared scenes from Meghan's new programme to those in the YouTube cooking show 'Emma's Kitchen' hosted by marchioness and chef Emma Weymouth .

The Celebrity MasterChef contestant – formally known as Emma Thynn, Marchioness of Bath - posts videos of her creations after launching the brand in 2015 using the backdrop of the original kitchens within Longleat House.

Meghan's new podcast was announced yesterday, just over a year after her deal was confirmed with Lemonada Media in February 2024.

The Duchess described the venture as 'candid conversations' with 'amazing women' about the success and struggles of their businesses.

She wrote on her Instagram account that she was 'so excited' to share the news, describing recording the series as 'absolutely eye-opening, inspiring...and fun!'

The former Suits actress added: 'Because what's the point if we can't have some fun on this wild adventure?'

She said the women had shared their 'tips, tricks (and tumbles)' as well as 'letting me pick their brains as I build out my own business, As ever'.

It comes after With Love, Meghan, which has already filmed a second season, faced savage criticism in reviews after premiering on Netflix last week.

The Duchess's Archetypes podcast about female stereotypes in 2022 ran for just one series, and was part of the Sussexes' previous multimillion pound deal with Spotify, which ended the year after.

The new podcast has been created as part of a deal Meghan signed last year with Lemonada Media, which said listeners would hear 'unfiltered stories behind the successes of notable female founders'.

It also said the series would also be 'sneaking a peek behind the curtain of Meghan's own entrepreneurial journey launching As ever'.

The Duchess launched her lifestyle brand As Ever in tandem with her With Love, Meghan show. Her first products, which are not yet on sale, are a small selection of jams, herbal tea, ready-mix baking mixes and flower sprinkles.

Lemonada added: 'As Meghan herself navigates the world of entrepreneurship with the upcoming launch of her brand As ever, be inspired by the real, unfiltered stories and lessons learned from notable female founders-from knowing your worth, to trusting your gut, securing investors, and investing in yourself.'

Stephanie Wittels Wachs, Lemonada's chief creative officer and co-founder, said: 'Listeners can expect conversations that are way more break room than boardroom.'

The US podcast firm's chief executive and co-founder, Jessica Cordova Kramer, described the series as 'the exact podcast we needed when we started Lemonada'.

She added: 'Meghan is such a warm and welcoming person, and you feel that in her interviews.

'She creates a comfortable space for her guests to bring fascinating personal stories to the table and open up in a way they likely haven't before publicly.'

A trailer for Meghan's new podcast will be released on March 25 and the first of eight weekly episodes will be launched on April 8.