The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, find themselves at the center of controversy once again, this time in the realm of podcasting.
Following their dramatic fallout with the British royal family in 2020, the couple's production company, Archewell Audio, struck a lucrative deal with Spotify.
Valued at a reported $20 million, the agreement was signed amidst the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Harry and Meghan aimed to bring stories of hope and compassion to the audio streaming platform.
However, over two years later, their podcasting endeavors, focused on spreading positivity, seem to have left a negative impression on some. Last Thursday, Archewell Audio and Spotify jointly announced their mutual decision to part ways, nearly three years after the ex-royals initially signed on to produce podcasts and audio shows for the streaming giant.
Since securing the deal, Archewell Audio only released one audio series, "Archewell Presents: Archewell Audio," hosted by Meghan Markle, along with a 30-minute 2020 holiday special. In a statement shared with The Times, Spotify and Archewell expressed pride in the series they created together.
Following the news of the Sussexes' breakup with Spotify, Bill Simmons, founder of The Ringer and former head of Spotify's podcast innovation and monetization, criticized the couple. On his self-titled podcast episode released on Friday, Simmons mentioned his regret about not being involved in the negotiations surrounding Meghan and Harry's departure from Spotify.
He went on to refer to them as "grifters" and humorously suggested launching a podcast about them. Simmons also expressed embarrassment about sharing Spotify with "princesses."
This remark appeared to take aim at the affluent California coastal community of Montecito, where Harry and Meghan reside after leaving the UK. It likely referenced their series of bombshell revelations, including the highly publicized 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey, recent Netflix documentary series, and Harry's bestselling memoir, "Spare."
As news of the Sussexes' Spotify split spread, it became evident that Simmons was not the only one criticizing their business practices. According to pod news, there were allegations that Megan, a former star of the TV series "Suits," faked interviews for her "Archewell Presents: Archewell Audio" podcast.
The website reported that multiple interviews were supposedly conducted by other staff members, and Meghan's questions were later edited into the final product. The outlet did not specify whether these interviews involved celebrities or sources related to the archetypes discussed.
