While many have come to Meghan Markle's defense following numerous controversies surrounding her relationship with Prince Harry and the Royal family, many more have unleashed their wrath upon her. For better or for worse, the Duchess of Sussex and her husband, The Duke of Sussex, can't escape the spotlight.
This includes their recent scandal with Spotify, following the company's decision to cut ties with Markle and Prince Harry despite spending an enormous amount of money on the deal. Following the decision, and the ensuing controversy, just about every public figure weighed in, including radio legend Howard Stern, who not only had some harsh words about podcasts but of the former Royals as well...
Is Spotify Happy With Prince Harry And Meghan Markle?
In short, no... Spotify was definitely not happy with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. According to ABC.net.au, less than a year after the first season of Meghan Markle's podcast "Archetypes" aired, Spotify decided to give her and her husband the axe... despite spending a ludicrous amount of money on an upfront deal with them. The plan was that Prince Harry and Markle would, through their company Archewell Audio, provide Spotify with countless hours of content. But they only got 12...
"Spotify and Archewell Audio have mutually agreed to part ways and are proud of the series we made together," a joint statement from Spotify and Archewell said. It was sent to FOX Business and no additional information was shared about the decision to part ways.
During her brief time working on the 12 one-hour episodes of "Archetypes", Markle spoke to the likes of Paris Hilton, Mariah Carey, and Mind Kaling, although Taylor Swift reportedly turned down the interview, according to Robbreport. Markle called the experience "liberating and healing".
But it wasn't meant to be.
So, why did Spotify end its contract with Markle and Prince Harry? This remains somewhat unclear at the time of this writing. However, it could have something to do with the fact that tech companies all over the world are having to make significant cuts to stay afloat. However, according to ABC.net.au, rumors are swirling that executives at Spotify were furious with Markle for only producing 12 hours of work.
The decision sparked heated debates among Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's biggest critics. This includes Bill Simmons, who gained a leadership role at Spotify after selling his podcast company to them in 2020. The Spotify executive reportedly slammed Meghan Markle and Prince Harry, calling them "f***ing grifters" on his self-titled podcast.
"I have 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 … F**k them. The grifters," Simmons continued.
Following this, the CEO of UTA (the talent agency), Jeremy Zimmer, called Meghan Markle "no great talent."
But, according to Forbes, at the time of this writing, both she and Prince Harry have managed to keep their $100 million contract with Netflix to produce various documentaries as well as scripted content.
How Much Did Spotify Pay Meghan Markle For Her Podcast?
According to ABC.net.au, Meghan Markle reportedly signed a $30 million deal with Spotify for exclusive rights to her and her husband's brand, Archewell Audio. Although Fox Business claimed that the deal cost Spotify anywhere between $14 and $25 million. So the exact number isn't exactly clear. But one thing is certain... it wasn't chump change.
In theory, this brand was going to produce "uplifting" content that would appeal to a broad base of Spotify's subscribers.
This didn't exactly pan out.
Meghan Markle's "Archetypes" was the first and only piece of content produced for Spotify. Less than a year after the debut of Markle's podcast, Spotify decided to end its contract with her and Prince Harry. According to The Wall Street Journal, Markle is unlikely to receive the full fee amount given the fact that she only produced 12 hours of work.
Howard Stern Slammed Meghan Markle And Prince Harry's Spotify Deal
While he hasn't been as harsh on Meghan Markle and Prince Harry as some in the media, Howard Stern has certainly made his criticisms of the former royal couple known on multiple occasions. This includes the time he called Prince Harry "Whiny B****" in their Netflix documentary, according to Variety. Although he has also stated that he has empathy for Prince Harry given the way the Royal family treated his late mother, Princess Diana.
But that's about the extent of it.
On June 21st, 2023, Howard Stern addressed the Spotify controversy with his radio audience and co-host, Robin Quivers.
"What an idiotic move on Spotify's part," Howard Stern said referencing the $20 million (or so) Spotify spent on a deal with Meghan Markle. "I get that the name is attractive. It's Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. But you haven't seen any product from them. You don't even know that they can talk. You don't even know what they're going to do. And you hand them $20 million based on what? It makes no sense to p*** away that kind of money."
Stern went on to say, "Meghan and Harry wanted $20 million for doing nothing... they already had that job. They had more than $20 million by being royals. [But] they didn't like that job. They wanted to come to America and work."
"They had a job in England that paid them [more than] $20 million and all they had to do was sit on their fat a**. I don't get it. Why would you walk away!?" Howard exclaimed. "Let me wake up in some alternate universe where they want to give me millions of dollars and a title and you get to live in a big mansion and you don't have to do a f***ing thing for it. Who wouldn't take that deal!?"
Howard Stern went on to criticize Prince Harry and Meghan Markle for allegedly not doing any work for Spotify when they passed up a much better deal as Royals where they were paid far more for doing "far less".
