Meghan Markle Announces Podcast Deal and Plans to Host a 'Dynamic' New Show After Cutting Ties with Spotify
Meghan and Prince Harry parted ways with Spotify after one season of the Duchess of Sussex's 'Archetypes' podcast
Months after Meghan Markle and Prince Harry parted ways with Spotify, their next move in the podcasting world is revealed.
The Duchess of Sussex signed a new podcast deal with Lemonada Media. After Deadline was first to report the news on Tuesday, an announcement went up on the couple's new website.
In addition to the one season of her Spotify series Archetypes now being distributed to all podcast platforms, Meghan is also set to launch a new show that she will host, although no further details on the untitled project have been revealed.
“I’m proud to now be able to share that I am joining the brilliant team at Lemonada to continue my love of podcasting,” Meghan said in a statement. “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.”
Lemonada’s CEO and co-founder, Jessica Cordova Kramer, said: "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."
Related: Meghan Markle's Biggest Revelations in Her 'Archetypes' Podcast
Meghan, 42, and Prince Harry, 39, announced a multi-year partnership between Spotify and their production company, Archewell Audio, in 2020 with the goal to "build community through shared experience, narratives and values."
In June 2023, Meghan and Harry announced their deal with Spotify was over. A joint statement said: "Spotify and Archewell Audio have mutually agreed to part ways and are proud of the series we made together."
A representative from WME, the talent agency that Meghan signed with last year, told the Wall Street Journal, “The team behind Archetypes remain proud of the podcast they created at Spotify. Meghan is continuing to develop more content for the Archetypes audience on another platform."
Archetypes aired 12 episodes in 2022. Each episode of the podcast featured different guests, including Serena Williams, Mariah Carey, and Paris Hilton, who all explored the stereotypes that hold women back with the Duchess of Sussex. The show even won a People’s Choice Award for pop podcast of 2022.
In the final episode, which aired in November 2022, Meghan said, "We're working on other ways to keep the conversation going but just know that as we close out this season of Archetypes, that I thank you. Thank you for listening and learning with me. This has been liberating and healing, and it's been fun."
"And many moons ago, I heard a quote that I will share with you today because as we talk about labels and tropes, boxes some may try to squeeze you into, and roles and stereotypes that are attributed to you that don't quite fit the full person that you are… this is what I wanted to leave you with," she continued. "It's from a couplet within a piece of writing by Greek poet Christianopoulos. And he says, 'What didn't you do to bury me / but you forgot, that I was a seed.' "
She encouraged listeners to "keep growing, and I'll see on the flip side."
She's here ✨ Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex brings us a new podcast. Welcome to Archetypes https://t.co/6qNeebTGxQ pic.twitter.com/T9BvTkTAOS
— Spotify (@Spotify) August 23, 2022
After Meghan and Prince Harry stepped back from their working roles as members of the royal family in 2020, they signed deals with Netflix and Spotify.
In December 2020, the pair debuted their podcasting skills with a two-minute audio clip.
"He has a podcast voice!" Meghan said after Harry gave an introduction.
The same month, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex released their first joint podcast episode, a holiday special tied to the end of 2020 and the beginning of 2021.
The podcast episode's celeb-filled lineup — including Elton John, Tyler Perry, Stacey Abrams, James Corden and more — also featured a special cameo: their then-19-month-old son, Prince Archie. At the very end of the episode, Meghan and Harry had Archie take a turn on the microphone.
"You can speak into it," Prince Harry told Archie.
"Archie, is it fun?" Meghan said, to which Archie responded, "Fun?" Then Meghan repeats, "Fun!"
Archie even gave a special message to listeners — "Happy New Year!" — with help from his parents.
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This week, Meghan and Prince Harry are scheduled to travel to Canada for the Invictus Games Vancouver Whistler 2025's One Year to Go celebrations. Over their three-day visit, the couple will join members of the participating nations' Winter Training Camp, which provides an opportunity for members of the International Invictus Community, including team managers, coaches and competitors, to experience winter adaptive sports ahead of the Games next year.
Prince Harry, a former captain in the British Army, founded the international adaptive sports tournament for wounded, injured and sick service personnel and veterans in 2014.
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