Michelle Chapman, Associated Press
1 hour ago
FILE – Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex visit the Invictus Games athletics event in The Hague, Netherlands on Sunday, April 17, 2022. The production company founded by Prince Harry and Meghan will part ways with Spotify on Friday, June 16, 2023, less than a year after his podcast “Archetypes” debuted. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong, File)
The production company founded by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will part ways with Spotify less than a year after the debut of the podcast “Archetypes.”
It’s unclear why the Meghan-hosted podcast is leaving the platform, but Spotify and Archewell Audio said in a joint statement that the decision was mutual.
Archewell entered into a multi-year partnership with Spotify in 2020 to create podcasts and shows that tell stories through diverse voices and perspectives.
The podcast premiered last August with tennis great Serena Williams as a guest and was an instant hit.
It topped the Spotify charts in seven countries, including the US and UK, and won the best podcast award at last year’s People’s Choice Awards.
“I loved getting my hands on the process and sitting in bed late into the night working on my writing and being creative. I loved listening to you guys,” Meghan, Duchess of Sussex said at the time.
The show also featured guest appearances by Mariah Carey, Trevor Noah, Mindy Kaling and Paris Hilton.
Tech companies are cutting costs in a tough economic environment, and Spotify is unaffected. Six months after announcing that it would cut 6% of its global workforce, or about 600 jobs, Spotify announced last week that it would cut another 200 jobs.
The company announced at the time that it would integrate podcast networks Parcast and Gimlet into its Spotify Studios operations.
Prince Harry appeared in London High Court earlier this month. He accused the Daily Mirror publisher of using “industrial-scale” and illegal methods to get the scoop on a side of his life. The Duke of Sussex became the first senior member of the royal family to testify in over a century.
