Real reason Spotify terminated £15m deal with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle

Importance Score: 40 / 100 🔵


Meghan Markle Unveils New Podcast Venture

Meghan Markle’s highly anticipated new podcast debuts today, marking her return to the audio space after previous ventures. Known for her experience in audio programming, the Duchess of Sussex, 43, and her husband Prince Harry, 40, previously established themselves in the podcasting world by securing a substantial agreement with audio streaming platform Spotify in 2020, shortly after stepping back from royal duties. Their company, Archewell Audio, entered into a reported £15.6 million contract, recognised as one of the most significant deals for a nascent podcast production entity.

Spotify Partnership and “Archetypes” Series

Industry experts at the time lauded the Sussexes’ alliance with Spotify as strategically advantageous for the streaming service’s objective to broaden its global listenership, which encompasses a reported 320 million monthly active users. The agreement stipulated that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex would create and present “programming designed to uplift and entertain global audiences,” focusing on podcasts highlighting diverse perspectives.

Their initial offering, Archetypes, a series spanning twelve episodes hosted by Meghan, featured prominent celebrity guests including Serena Williams, Mariah Carey, Paris Hilton, and Mindy Kaling.

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However, in 2023, after less than a year post-release, it was announced that Archetypes would not be renewed for a second season. Spotify and Archewell Audio released a joint statement confirming their “mutual decision to part ways” while expressing pride in their collaborative work on the series.

Reports suggested the termination of the contract stemmed from concerns regarding audience engagement for the former actress’s podcast. Now, over two years since the launch of Archetypes, Meghan Markle is launching her new podcast, Confessions of a Female Founder, in collaboration with Lemonada Media.

“Confessions of a Female Founder”: A New Audio Chapter

The podcast, Confessions of a Female Founder, offers listeners an intimate glimpse into conversations as “a fly on the wall as Meghan sits down for candid conversations with female founders and friends about the success, the struggles, and the never-before-told stories of building a business.”

New instalments of the eight-part series will be released on a weekly basis.

Meghan Markle on Her New Podcast and Business Ventures

“I’m so proud of what we’re creating, and the candid conversations that I’m able to have with other female founders as we unpack the twists and turns of building a business,” Meghan Markle stated.

“Through my friendships and relationships, we’re able to delve into the kind of insights that everyone wants to know as they’re establishing a business, and that I’m able to utilize as I’m developing my own business with As ever.”

The launch of Confessions of a Female Founder follows a period of activity for the former actress, marked by the introduction of her lifestyle brand, As ever, and her continued partnership with Netflix through With Love, Meghan.


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