Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's Archewell Audio and Spotify have called an end to their multi-million-dollar partnership after producing only a single podcast series. Insiders suggest the lack of substantial output influenced the decision to conclude the partnership.
Thursday saw an announcement from Spotify and Archewell Audio representatives stating, "Spotify and Archewell Audio have mutually decided to part ways but take pride in the series we created together."
While the Spotify partnership has concluded, the creative energy behind "Archetypes," the single series produced under the deal, remains enthusiastic. A representative from talent agency WME stated to the Wall Street Journal, "The 'Archetypes' team is proud of the podcast they brought to life at Spotify. Meghan plans to continue creating engaging content for the 'Archetypes' audience on another platform."
The original agreement between Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's Archewell Audio and Spotify was made in 2020 and was set to span multiple years. "Archetypes," the podcast headed by Markle, was the sole series produced under this agreement.
Despite its single-season run, "Archetypes" achieved notable success. Featuring guests like Serena Williams, Mariah Carey, Trevor Noah, and more, the podcast topped Spotify's international charts in several countries, including the U.S., U.K., and Australia, just two days after its premiere in August 2022.
The series garnered attention for its discussions of stereotypes and societal constraints that hinder women. Markle expressed her gratitude for the series' People's Choice Award win for best pop podcast of 2022 on the Archewell website, acknowledging the hard work that went into the production. She also earned recognition from the 48th Annual Gracie Awards as a digital media national winner for the podcast.
However, The Hollywood Reporter source stated that the limited content produced by Archewell Audio contributed to Spotify's decision to terminate the partnership, as Spotify's exclusive podcast deals typically necessitate the regular release of multiple series or episodes. Over the three-year contract period, Archewell Audio only produced one season of "Archetypes" and a 2020 holiday special.
Speculation from Variety suggests that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex may be seeking broader distribution avenues for their audio projects, a strategy similar to the Obamas' decision to leave Spotify for Amazon's Audible.
Despite the end of their Spotify partnership, Harry and Meghan remain active in the content creation sphere with their Netflix deal. They have so far released two docuseries, "Harry & Meghan" and "Live to Lead," and plan to release "Heart of Invictus" later this year.
