According to a report in The Sun on 17th June, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex faced criticism from a Spotify manager, who labeled them “swindlers” following the termination of their contract with the platform.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have encountered yet another setback. Spotify’s head of podcast innovation and monetization, Bill Simmons, referred to them as “F**** grifters” in a podcast. As reported by The Sun on Saturday 17th June, he expressed regret at not launching the podcast with the couple and made strong remarks. However, the reasons behind this heated attack are still unclear.
Bill Simmons’ comments are believed to stem from the dissolution of the contract between Archewell, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s company, and the Spotify platform. Initially signed in 2020, the contract obligated the Sussexes to produce a series of podcasts for the platform. However, on Thursday 15th June, both parties announced the termination of the agreement through a joint press release, with Spotify confirming the absence of a second series of Meghan’s podcast “Archetypes,” according to Elle magazine.
A three-year agreement was negotiated between the Sussexes and Spotify in 2020, estimated to be worth $25 million. This partnership involved Archewell Audios, the couple’s production company, creating original and exclusive podcasts for the platform, as reported by Capital.
The contract also encompassed Meghan Markle’s podcast titled “Archetypes,” as mentioned in Vanity Fair. Over the past three years, the Duchess of Sussex conducted interviews with influential women such as Serena Williams, Paris Hilton, Jameela Jamil, Mariah Carey, and Issa Rae. The discussions centered around topics of empowerment, discrimination, feminism, and societal standards. According to The Sun, Meghan Markle hosted a total of 13 episodes within 31 months.
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