Spotify has indeed ended its podcast deal

It appears that Spotify has indeed ended its podcast deal with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle after only one season of Markle’s Archetypes podcast. The decision to end the partnership comes as Spotify restructures its podcast division, which has resulted in layoffs at the company. The deal was reportedly worth millions of dollars, and it’s unclear what impact this decision will have on the couple’s production company, Archewell Audio. It remains to be seen what the couple’s next move will be in the podcasting world, but this development highlights the challenges faced by media companies in the rapidly evolving podcasting landscape.

According to a joint statement released by Spotify and Archewell Audio, the audio production company founded by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, the two parties have mutually agreed to end their partnership and expressed pride in the podcast series they produced together. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex signed with Spotify in December 2020, with the aim of using their platform to amplify underrepresented voices. However, it appears that the partnership has come to an end, and it remains to be seen what the couple’s future plans in the podcasting world will be.

The podcast deal between Spotify and Archewell Audio only resulted in one series, which was Markle’s Archetypes podcast. The show premiered in August 2022 and featured interviews with high-profile guests such as Serena Williams, Mariah Carey, Mindy Kaling, Paris Hilton, and Trevor Noah. Archetypes quickly became the top podcast on Spotify and even won a People’s Choice Award in December. However, sources cited by Variety suggest that Spotify had expected more content from the partnership.

According to other sources cited by Variety, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are now looking to “find a new home” for their audio content. A representative for Markle’s talent agency, WME, also told the Wall Street Journal that the Duchess of Sussex is currently developing new content for the Archetypes audience on another platform. It remains to be seen where the couple will take their podcasting efforts next, but it’s clear that they remain committed to producing content that resonates with their audience.

Prince Harry and Meghan Marckle stepped down as working members of the royal family in early 2020 and relocated to California amid concerns about their privacy and clashes with the Palace. Since then, the couple has been pivoting to media content in their post-royal life, including a $100 million contract with Netflix and the publication of Prince Harry‘s memoir, Spare. The end of Archewell’s podcast deal with Spotify comes at a time when the podcasting industry is facing challenges, as data from Chartr released in February 2023 showed an 80% drop in the number of new podcasts compared to the previous two years. Meanwhile, the number of U.S. podcast listeners only increased by 5% in 2022, according to Insider Intelligence. Spotify has recently undergone a round of layoffs, which came after the company canceled ten original podcasts in October 2022 and laid off 38 podcast employees. These developments highlight the challenges faced by media companies as they navigate the evolving podcasting landscape.