Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are reportedly going to do live stage shows under Archewell Audio, the newly-formed company that takes ownership of their multi-million podcast deal with Spotify.
According the Daily Star, Harry and Meghan's lawyers filed a number of documents with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to seek protection for their live stage performances. Apparently, securing the patent and trademark guarantees that Harry and Meghan's podcast ventures won't be ripped off or violated by other people who might cash in on it.
The patent and trademark mean that Archewell will hold exclusive rights to their podcast shows. The papers also mention ownership over possible audiobooks, CDs, or content that may be shared on websites, wireless devices, on-demand streaming media, and other applications.
Harry and Meghan will mostly talk of issues they are passionate about in their podcast series, which means that they could also potentially cover topics that are political in nature.
Calvin Robinson of Policy Exchange, a think tank organization, said that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex should reconsider completely renouncing their royal titles if they will do podcasts on racial justice, gender equality, or the stewardship of the environment. Otherwise, it would appear like Harry and Meghan are lecturing the public as two very privileged individuals.
But aside from their podcast, which will kick off with a special holiday show in the New Year, Harry and Meghan might also come out with their very own "feature magazine." The same documents filed with the patent office indicated that they also want protection for printed materials they will likely produce under the Archewell brand.
Speculations also suggested that Meghan might finally pursue her plan to publish a novel. The Duchess of Sussex apparently aspired to be a writer since she was a young girl.
But sources within the royal family claimed via Daily Express that the Sussex pair's plans to expand their commercial and political interests with several multi-media contracts are creating a feeling of unease.
For instance, Harry and Meghan received criticisms from the public for their Netflix deal because it's the streaming platform that owns The Crown. The latest season of The Crown has drawn flak for its inaccuracies and its unfair portrayal of the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall.
Netflix also turned down suggestions to include a disclaimer in every episode of The Crown to ascertain that viewers know it's a work of fiction and not an actual depiction of the lives of the royals.
