Meghan Markle, Prince Harry Won't Receive $20 Million in Spotify Deal, Podcast Set To Be Axed

Meghan Markle's podcast Archetypes has been canceled by Spotify, costing her and Prince Harry an estimated $20 million.

The separation was confirmed in a joint statement from the couple's content creation label, Archewell Audio, and the streaming giant.

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry Part Ways with Spotify

The statement said, "Spotify and Archewell Audio have mutually agreed to part ways and are proud of the series we made together."

This indicates that there will not be a second season of Archetypes, which ran for 12 episodes beginning in August 2022. The Duchess discussed the history of stereotypes against women with guests such as Serena Williams and Mariah Carey on her talk program.

Archetypes, which won the top podcast honor at the People's Choice Award in Los Angeles in December, also featured historians and experts. When they signed the contract with Spotify in 2020, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle consented to a whopping $20 million payoff, which they may now forfeit.

Meghan Markle's talent agency WME, which signed her in April, stated that the creators of the Archetypes podcast on Spotify "remain proud" of their work. The Wall Street Journal was told by a source close to the discussions that Archewell is currently in talks to have their content distributed by other providers.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's Netflix Programs Recently Ceased

The Sun recently reported that Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will cease producing royal-bashing Netflix programs and tell-all novels. The revelation contains the couple's simmering assaults on the royals. The interview with Oprah Winfrey in March 2021 was followed by the poorly received Netflix series Harry & Meghan.

It also led to them being criticized in the South Park cartoon satire. The Sussexes will now only appear in front of Netflix cameras and have even expressed interest in producing "fun" films, such as romantic comedies.

This new content will "heavily emphasize fictitious scripted content," according to a source for The Daily Telegraph. After announcing a new podcasting strategy, Spotify laid off 200 individuals last week, including numerous audio engineers.

The streaming service intends to make programs accessible on platforms other than Spotify and will concentrate on providing creator tools to podcasters rather than producing original content.

According to sources close to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, they will cease making tell-all Netflix documentaries, publishing memoirs, and participating in interviews that criticize the Royal Family because they have "nothing left to say."

Earlier in the year, following the conclusion of the first season of Archetypes, Spotify was rumored to have initiated discussions for a second season, but these discussions eventually stalled.In the week following its release, the podcast topped the Spotify rankings. Despite podcasts' prevalence with consumers, the report cited difficulties in making them profitable.

Meghan Markle concluded the 12th episode of her podcast series Archetypes with a defiant piece of poetry about survival, but made no mention of a prospective second series.The royal couple's production company Archwell is currently in talks to publish more content. There are also rumors that Meghan Markle may soon launch her wellness and lifestyle blog, the Tig, to compete with Gwyneth Paltrow Goop website.