Why has Meghan Markle’s podcast Archetypes been cancelled by Spotify?
MEGHAN MARKLE will not be doing a second season of her Spotify podcast despite a successful first run.
Prince Harry‘s wife launched Archetypes on the streaming giant in 2022 and was joined by guests like Serena Williams, Mariah Carey and Paris Hilton on the 12-episode series, but in June 2023 it was confirmed the podcast would not continue.
Why has Meghan Markle’s podcast Archetypes been dropped by Spotify?
A specific reason for the axing of the podcast was not given, other than that Meghan Markle and Spotify had “mutually agreed to part ways”.
The news was confirmed in a joint statement from Archewell Audio, Meghan and Harry‘s content creation label, and Spotify.
It read: “Spotify and Archewell Audio have mutually agreed to part ways and are proud of the series we made together.”
On Archetypes, the Duchess discussed the history of stereotypes levelled against women and throughout the episodes she was joined by famous faces like Jameela Jamil, as well as historians and experts.
Archetypes won the top podcast award at the People’s Choice Award in December 2022 and shot to the top of Spotify’s charts in the US, Canada, UK, Australia, and New Zealand after its debut.
A few weeks before Archetype’s cancellation, Spotify announced it was making 200 job cuts from its podcasting unit.
The layoffs amount to 2% of the company’s global workforce.
How much did Spotify pay Meghan Markle for her podcast?
Harry and Meghan agreed a whopping £18 million payday with Spotify when they signed their multi-project contract in 2020.
After the news of their contract ending, it was reported the couple could be set to lose out on that amount.
The New York Post reported that Archewell did not produce enough content to be eligible for the full payout.
How can you listen to Archetypes now?
The first series of Archetypes is still available to listen to on Spotify at the time of writing.
Archewell were reported to be in ongoing discussions to get their content on other providers’ services, following the announcement that they were leaving Spotify.
A person close to discussions told the Wall Street Journal that more content from Meghan could be expected in the future, though they did not confirm what platform this could be on.
Meghan’s talent agency WME – who signed her on in April 2023 also confirmed that Meghan was “continuing to develop more content for the Archetypes audience on another platform.”
Shortly before the Archetypes news was announced, The Sun revealed how Harry and Meghan were set stop making royal-bashing Netflix shows and tell-all books.
In the years following their exit from the Royal Family, the couple took part in highly-publicized interviews, including one with pal Oprah Winfrey, and their Netflix series Harry & Meghan.
An insider told The Sun: “That period of their life is over — as there is nothing left to say.”
The Sussexes signed an eye-watering £88 million deal with Netflix in 2020 but, aside from their documentary, will only feature behind the cameras.