In recent discussions, royal commentator Charlie Rae has contended that Meghan Markle and Prince Harry have limited understanding of the Hollywood landscape.
In conversation with TalkTV host Kevin O'Sullivan, Rae, who previously held the role of royal editor at The Sun, commented on the recent termination of the Sussexes' Spotify deal.
"The bubble has certainly burst," said Rae during the discussion.
O'Sullivan drew attention to the couple's deal not only being canceled, but also to claims that they won't receive the full $20 million value of the agreement due to their alleged lack of productivity throughout their three-year partnership with Spotify. It was also pointed out that Spotify executive Bill Simmons had labeled the royal pair as "grifters" following the termination of the deal.
Rae went on to speculate, "Spotify has said, 'Enough is enough. You're not getting the full $20 million.' I can assure you, Netflix is likely to follow suit in terminating their 80 million-pound contract." He added, "Remember that Netflix was seething when they were paying this couple a huge sum, and they opted for CBS to conduct the notorious Oprah Winfrey interview."
Rae further asserted, "Multiple TV executives have expressed that the pair simply do not grasp the traditional workings of the industry. Meghan receives the brunt of the criticism, given her dominant role in the Spotify and Netflix agreements. It seems she's attempting to instruct experienced executives, far more seasoned than her 'Suits' stint, on how to navigate Hollywood. It's time for a reality check."
These claims, however, could not be independently confirmed by the International Business Times.
Shortly after stepping down from their royal duties and relocating to California in 2020, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex signed a multi-year agreement with Netflix to create a range of programming. This included documentary series and scripted shows. Later that year, their venture Archewell Audio secured a multi-year deal with Spotify to produce podcasts and other shows.
However, last week, the couple and Spotify jointly announced an amicable parting of ways.
During their contract with the audio streaming platform, the couple produced only 13 hours of programming, inclusive of a 2020 holiday special and Meghan's 12-episode "Archetypes" podcast, which was not extended for another season.
Kinsey Schofield, host of the "To Di For Daily" royal podcast, suggested that the limited production during this partnership implies that the Sussexes are "difficult to collaborate with" and might deter future partnerships.
In a recent interview with GB News host Patrick Christys, the royal pundit noted, "Evidence suggests they are challenging. The BBC revealed that they wouldn't have aired the Netflix documentary as the editorial direction was determined by Harry and Meghan. They have a controlling nature and are challenging to work with. This might explain why they produced only 12 episodes in three years."
