Prince Harry, Meghan Markle part ways with Spotify after $29M deal

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are cutting ties with Spotify just three years after agreeing to multimillion-dollar deal.

Harry and Meghan. Picture: Angela Weiss / AFP

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are cutting ties with Spotify just three years after agreeing to a US $20 million ($29m) deal.

The pair’s podcast, Archetypes, won’t be getting a second season despite launching at the top of the charts last year, a source confirmed to The New York Post.

The insider added that the couple didn’t produce enough content to receive their full multimillion-dollar payout.

In a joint statement, Spotify and Archewell Audio said they have “mutually agreed to part ways and are proud of the series we made together.”

However, it appears the pair may change their mind if they get a better offer from another company.

“Meghan is continuing to develop more content for the Archetypes audience on another platform,” an Archewell Productions spokeswoman added to The Wall Street Journal, which was the first to report the news.

Harry and Meghan and Spotify say they have “mutually agreed to part ways.” Picture: AFP

Archetypes — which is hosted by Markle — was created to “investigate, dissect and subvert the labels that try to hold women back.”

While there hasn’t been a new episode since November 2022, some of Hollywood’s biggest stars — including Mariah Carey, Paris Hilton and Mindy Kaling — previously sat down with Markle for the hour-long episodes.

Reps for the pair did not immediately respond to Page Six’s request for comment.

The news comes less than six months after the show’s producer, Rebecca Sananès, revealed she was leaving amid uncertainty about the podcast’s future.

While it’s unclear exactly why the duke and duchess decided to pull the plug on their Spotify deal, we’re told the pair started questioning their partnership after Joe Rogan — who is also signed to the company — made controversial comments about the COVID-19 vaccine on his podcast.

Recent developments at Spotify are reported to have been “hugely embarrassing” for the couple. Picture: AFP

“Harry and Meghan will be less than thrilled with Spotify, it’s hugely embarrassing for them,” a source told Page Six in 2021. “And they have to think, ‘Do we really want to be on the same banner as Joe Rogan?’”

Markle also recently signed with talent agency WME — who also reps the pair’s content creation label, Archewell.

“The agency will be focusing on building out her business ventures across multiple facets of the agency & its broader ecosystem, including film & television production, brand partnerships & more,” the company announced in April.

The deal was announced amid much fanfare three years ago.

Markle’s team at WME includes Endeavour CEO Ari Emanuel, who Markle believes can make her a Hollywood “power player.”

Sources told Page Six that while the former Suits actress is not looking to get back into acting, she hopes the Hollywood uber-agent will help take her career to new heights.

“This deal is about making Meghan a power player in Hollywood,” the insider shared. “Even though she is, of course, an actress, this isn’t about movies or shows for Meghan to star in, it is about creating projects for her to produce – she wants to run the show.”

Despite cutting ties with the streaming giant, the Sussexes are still raking in the dough from their ongoing five-year deal with Netflix — which is believed to be worth around US $100 million.

This story originally appeared on Page Six and is republished here with permission.

Originally published as Prince Harry, Meghan Markle part ways with Spotify after $29M deal