The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were damningly described as ‘f*****g grifters’ by a Spotify executive hours after the parting of the ways was announced between them and the audio giant last year.
So I’m sorry to hear that Meghan’s new deal with a much smaller podcast company is struggling to get off the starting blocks.
Prince Harry’s wife announced amid great fanfare in February that she had signed a deal with Lemonada Media, a female-founded company that wants to ‘make life suck less’.
The Duchess, who produced only one series of her podcast Archetypes for Spotify before parting ways with the company, had signed with Lemonada to develop and host a new series.
However, a source tells me that there is not expected to be any work broadcast this year. ‘The relaunch of Meghan’s Archetypes podcast got pushed back to 2025,’ the California-based source says.
It is understood that Lemonada did not want the podcast’s launch to be overshadowed by the former actress’s television series, which she began filming at a rented house in Montecito last week. Netflix said the show would ‘celebrate the joys of cooking and gardening, entertaining and friendship’.
Lemonada is said to be concerned that there would also be ‘scheduling conflicts’ between the launch of its podcasts and that of Meghan’s lifestyle brand, American Riviera Orchard.
A spokesman for Meghan declined to comment, but sources claim she had a list of ‘very high-profile guests’ scheduled to participate in her new podcasts.
Guests on her series of 12 podcasts for Spotify included Wimbledon champion Serena Williams, pop star Mariah Carey, and Sex and the City author Candace Bushnell.
Bill Simmons, Spotify’s head of podcast innovation and monetisation, blasted the Duke and Duchess as ‘f****** grifters’ just hours after their reported £15million deal was axed last summer. The damning putdown is an American term for people ‘who engage in petty or small-scale swindling’.
He ranted: ‘I’ve got to get drunk one night and tell the story of the Zoom I had with Harry to try and help him with a podcast idea. It’s one of my best stories.’
The couple produced less than 13 hours of content during the three-year partnership: 12 episodes of Meghan’s Archetypes show, and a 30-minute Christmas special featuring both the Duke and Duchess.
Meghan said in February that she was ‘overjoyed’ to be joining Lemonada, which describes itself as an ‘award-winning, independent…podcast network, with a mission to make life suck less’. She added: ‘Our plan to re-release Archetypes so that more people can now have access to it, as well as launching a dynamic new podcast, are well in the works. I’m so eager to be able to share it soon.’
Just not that soon…
Archetypes, Meghan’s original Spotify show, had around one million listens per episode and debuted as Spotify’s No. 1 podcast in 47 countries around the world when it launched in August 2022.
The series explored the labels that try to hold women back and included guests such as Mariah Carey, Jameela Jamil and Pamela Adlon.
It won a People’s Choice Award for The Pop Podcast of 2022 and the Duchess won best entertainment podcast host at the Gracie Awards.
In a statement about her new podcast, Meghan said previously: ‘Being able to support a female-founded company with a roster of thought provoking and highly entertaining podcasts is a fantastic way to kick off 2024.
‘Our plan to re-release ‘Archetypes’ so that more people can now have access to it, as well as launching a dynamic new podcast are well in the works. I’m so eager to be able to share it soon, and am overjoyed to be joining the Lemonada family.’
Cordova Kramer, from Lemonada, said at the time: ‘We are beyond honored that Meghan has trusted us to help democratize access to Archetypes, and that so many more people around the world will have access to the series soon.
‘Meghan’s talent as host, creator and conversationalist is unparalleled and we are thrilled to co-create a new series with her that fosters her approach to creating art that matters.’
But now the focus seems to be on Meghan’s strawberry jams launched earlier this month.
She sent the jam in baskets to 50 friends and influencers, each accompanied by a basket of lemons.
The chosen few included Delfina Blaquier, Suits co-star Abigail Spencer and fashion designer Tracy Robbins, who shared shots on Instagram.
Abigail, 42, was gifted the sixth jar in the batch, she revealed yesterday in an over-the-top photoshoot that showcased her reclining in the grass with the precious preserve.
The actress appears to still be a close member of Meghan’s inner circle, while several of her former co-stars have since been notably cut from the royal’s life as her stock soared in recent years.
Meghan, 42, and Abigail made headlines last week after the pair were seen beaming together in a series of Instagram pictures to support friend Kelly McKee Zajfen’s new Mother’s Day campaign for her charity ‘Alliance of Moms.’
Kelly, 44, also received one of the coveted jams and gushed over it on social media, saying last week how she was ‘so proud’ of the Duchess.
James Parker is a UK-based entertainment aficionado who delves into the glitz and glamour of the entertainment industry. From Hollywood to the West End, he offers readers an insider’s perspective on the world of movies, music, and pop culture.
