Spotify Ends Podcast Deal with Harry and Meghan

On 16/06/2023, Spotify and Archewell Audio, the production company founded by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, announced that they had “mutually agreed to part ways,” bringing an end to their multi-year podcasting agreement. The partnership, originally signed in late 2020, was part of Spotify’s broader investment in exclusive content featuring high-profile creators. During the collaboration, Archewell Audio produced limited content, most notably the podcast series Archetypes, hosted by Meghan Markle. The show premiered in August 2022 and featured interviews with public figures, including Serena Williams, Mariah Carey, and Paris Hilton, focusing on stereotypes and labels applied to women. Archetypes ran for a single season and received industry recognition, including a People’s Choice Award in 2022 for The Pop Podcast of the Year. The joint statement issued by Spotify and Archewell Audio confirmed the end of the partnership without detailing specific reasons, emphasizing that both parties were “proud of the series we made together.” The decision came amid a broader shift in Spotify’s podcasting strategy in 2023, as the company reassessed spending and restructured parts of its content division. The conclusion of the deal marked a notable change in the Sussexes’ media ventures, as their agreement with Spotify had been widely reported to be valued at approximately $20 million at the time it was signed. Following the announcement, Archewell Audio’s future podcasting plans were not immediately outlined, though the company continued its involvement in other media and production projects.