Meghan Markle’s Archetypes podcast is axed by Spotify with ‘her and Prince Harry to miss out on full £18m payout’
MEGHAN Markle’s Archetypes podcast has been axed by Spotify – with her and Prince Harry potentially losing out on an £18 million payout.
The split was confirmed in a joint statement from Archewell Audio, the couple’s content creation label, and the streaming giant.
It read: “Spotify and Archewell Audio have mutually agreed to part ways and are proud of the series we made together.”
It means there will be no second series of Archetypes, which ran for 12 episodes from August 2022.
In the show, the Duchess discussed the history of stereotypes levelled against women with guests like tennis ace Serena Williams and singer Mariah Carey.
Historians and experts also appeared on Archetypes, which won top podcast award at the People’s Choice Award in Los Angeles in December.
Harry and Meghan could now lose out on an whopping £18 million payday they agreed with Spotify when they signed the contract in 2020.
Meghan’s talent agency WME – who signed her on in April – said the team behind Archetypes “remain proud” of the podcast they created at Spotify.
But they added: “Meghan is continuing to develop more content for the Archetypes audience on another platform.”
Archewell are reportedly in ongoing discussions to get their content on other providers’ services, a person close to discussions told the Wall Street Journal.
It comes as The Sun revealed Harry and Meghan will stop making royal-bashing Netflix shows and tell-all books.
The Sussexes will now only feature behind Netflix cameras and have even showed an interest in making “fun” flicks including romcoms.
All will have a “heavy focus on fictional scripted content”, a source told The Daily Telegraph.
A pal of the California-based duo added: “They’ve had enough of being in the spotlight for now.”
On Archetype’s launch, Meghan wrote on the couple’s Archewell website: “I loved digging my hands into the process, sitting up late at night in bed, working on the writing and creative.
“And I loved digging deep into meaningful conversation with my diverse and inspiring guests, laughing and learning with them.
“It has been such a labour of love.”
Spotify laid off 200 people last week, including many audio engineers after announcing a new approach to podcasting.
The streaming service is hoping to make shows available on platforms outside Spotify and focus on offering creator tools to podcasters rather than making original content.