Meghan Markle has seemingly stepped back from her podcast officially after a 17-month battle, according to reports.
The Duchess of Sussex’s multi-million Spotify deal fell through in the summer. The award-winning podcast has been dropped, and won’t be airing for a second season as it stands. The former TV star’s series ran for just one season, with only 12 episodes. During the episodes, Meghan Markle would invite special guests on to the show to discuss current issues they faced. But now it seems the royal has finally backed down in terms of reviving or continuing the project in a new report.
Meghan Markle’s podcast is over – for good it appears
The New York Post reports Meghan has withdrawn her trademark application for the Archetypes podcast. It comes months after Spotify axed the show from releasing another series.
Her celebrity pals would join her on the show, including tennis champ Serena Williams and hotel heiress Paris Hilton.
However, Meghan Markle’s podcast was a hit-and-miss with fans.
Some complained that Spotify would feature the program more than others on the top of the highlights, despite it not getting as many hits as other popular shows. However, it did also receive a People’s Choice Award, and did bring in millions of listeners at the beginning. But it seems over time, numbers dwindled, writes the Mail Online.
Now the royal has officially removed the application, it seems she doesn’t plan on revamping the podcast herself without a trademark. Perhaps, her attention is drawn to the future, as rumors claim she’s planning on writing her own bombshell memoir following the success of Prince Harry‘s autobiography.
Other sources cite the Duchess is hoping to reinvent herself into a lifestyle guru like her Hollywood friends. Or to make a resurgence on Instagram, where she could make $1 million per single post.
It’s not clear what Meghan Markle’s plans for the future are yet, now her podcast isn’t coming back.
Harry and Meghan’s deal was worth millions
After stepping down as senior royals of The Firm, the pair have reportedly earned a whopping $140 million. This would come in handy for the couple, after Harry claimed his dad King Charles cut them off when they moved out of the UK for their family.
The Spotify deal was said to be worth $20 million, and the dad-of-two himself is said to have been given the same amount in advance for his controversial memoir. The book released in January 2023 and sold more than 1.4 million copies on the first day. This was more than Barack Obama’s own autobiography in 2020.
The couple also signed a reported $100 million contract with Netflix in September 2020, months after moving to America. This was a partnership where the royals would produce documentaries, feature films and scripted shows. Since the dotted line was signed, Meghan and Harry released a six-part docuseries about their time in the royal family. Tensions with Prince William, Kate Middleton and other members of The Firm were in the limelight.
Meghan also wrote her own children’s picture book, called The Bench, which she says was inspired by the relationship with their son Archie and Harry. It wasn’t her first time dabbling in publishing, as in 2019 she had her own cookbook and donated the proceeds to a community cooking group.
Harry’s money with the royal family
Harry sat down with billionaire friend Oprah Winfrey for another TV show. The Me You Can’t See focused on mental health, and the royal, again, spoke about his family issues. Although, the deal was first announced back in 2019, before they officially left the palace. Senior royals aren’t allowed to take money for projects while committing to official duties. Therefore, it’s unclear if he received anything for working as an executive producer for the project.
It’s believed Harry’s inheritance from Princess Diana stood at $10 million, which he says they used for security and towards their home in Monetico, Los Angeles. Representatives told Forbes in 2021, the younger royal didn’t receive any of the $100 million left to the family by the Queen Mother when she died. It’s also unclear if his grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, left him anything after she died either. The late monarch’s will has been sealed and will be for at least 90 years.
The Duke also took up a role with BetterUp. He became the firm’s first Chief Impact Officer, with rumors he’s earning a seven-figure salary. But it’s not clear what his wage is with the business, who had to lay off 100 San Francisco-based staff.
Despite Meghan Markle’s podcast coming to an end, their endless ventures have been lucrative over the past few years. It’s not the last we’ve seen of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, that’s for sure.
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