In 2025, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s foray into the world of podcasting ended in disappointment after facing a series of hurdles with their Spotify deal, a report by Vanity Fair has revealed. The couple’s venture, which was reportedly worth £18 million, ended up falling apart in just three years due to a lack of successful, consistent content. A former employee claimed the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were unlike other celebrity podcasters who would casually “turn on the mic and talk.” Instead, Harry and Meghan wanted to develop grand themes to explain the world but struggled to come up with coherent ideas. This marked a rocky start for their podcast journey.
One of Harry’s most outlandish ideas was to interview world leaders such as Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump to discuss what made them “sociopaths.” Other suggestions from the Duke included reviewing hot chocolate each week or tackling global issues like climate change by fixing problems on a weekly basis. These strange and unfocused ideas caused confusion among the podcast’s production team, with Harry seeming more preoccupied with abstract concepts than actionable content. Meghan, on the other hand, had her own challenges. She would often abandon ideas, watering them down or completely reimagining episodes during late production stages, further stalling progress.
The struggles continued when Meghan launched her podcast Archetypes in 2022, aimed at empowering women by deconstructing gender stereotypes. Despite high expectations and initial excitement, the podcast failed to achieve its intended success. Rumors circulated that high-profile figures like Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, and Megan Thee Stallion had all turned down offers to appear on the show. The podcast faced delays in production, with Spotify’s Gimlet studio stepping in to handle it, making the project more expensive and resource-heavy than initially planned. Ultimately, Spotify and Archewell Audio mutually agreed to part ways in mid-2023, marking the end of the couple’s podcasting ambitions on the platform.
The fallout from the failed podcast venture also revealed tensions within the production staff. Sources disclosed that several employees took extended leaves of absence or quit due to the stress of working on Archetypes, with some even seeking therapy after their experiences. There were also claims of Meghan’s tendency to adopt a “victim role” rather than acknowledge her own contributions to the problems. As the production team struggled to cope with her indecision, it was evident that the lack of cohesive leadership impacted the podcast’s ability to thrive. One individual even mentioned that working with Meghan became a matter of enduring constant frustration, with some claiming she exhibited behaviors reminiscent of those seen with the royal aides she was said to have clashed with in the past.
Meanwhile, Prince Harry’s approach to the podcast also came under scrutiny. Described as “challenging to engage with,” Harry reportedly had little interest in the podcast work and seemed more focused on charity initiatives than making a go of the podcasting deal. This attitude reportedly created tension during staff interviews, leaving employees questioning why Harry even bothered with the project if he wasn’t genuinely invested in it. In addition, a particularly scathing comment from Spotify podcaster Bill Simmons painted the Sussexes as “grifters,” citing his frustration with their lack of direction and commitment to their podcast. This sentiment appeared to be shared by others within the industry, further compounding the couple’s image as struggling content creators.
In the end, Harry and Meghan’s podcasting experiment not only failed to meet expectations but also revealed a larger narrative about their challenges in adapting to Hollywood and media platforms. The couple’s struggles to find a coherent voice for their podcast, combined with their inability to attract major celebrity guests, showcased the difficulty of transitioning from royalty to mainstream content creators. With their Spotify deal over and their podcast aspirations falling short, the couple now faces the task of recalibrating their public image and figuring out the next steps in their post-roya
l career.