Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex leave Canada House in London, England, on January 7, 2020. (Photo by Samir Hussain/WireImage)
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prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, Another high-profile split was announced.
couple’s The lucrative deal for making a podcast for spotify music It’s over, the parties revealed Thursday.
“Spotify and Archewell Audio have mutually agreed to part ways and are proud of the series we have co-produced,” the audio streaming giant and the Sussexes-founded production company said in a joint statement.
The development comes after the couple produced just one series “prototype” Podcast launching August 2022 Hosted by Megan, attempts to “investigate, dissect and subvert the labels that try to hold women back” under their Archewell Audio podcast imprint.
A Spotify representative said the decision means Meghan’s “Prototype” podcast will not be renewed for a second season, as originally reported Wall Street Journal.
The representative confirmed reports that executives from the two companies had previously discussed a “prototype” for a second season given the success of the first season, but the show’s producers were told it would not proceed with a second season.
Representatives for Harry and Meghan did not immediately respond to NBC News’ request for comment.
“Prototypes” include celebrities such as Serena Williams, Mariah Carey, Mindy Kaling, Constance Wu, Jameela Jameel and Paris Hilton. In December, “Prototype” also wins top podcast award at the People’s Choice Awards in Los Angeles.
Meghan called the podcast a “labour of love,” writing on the Archewell website at the time that she “absolutely enjoyed being hands-on with the process, sitting in bed late at night, writing and being creative.”
“I enjoy engaging in deep, meaningful conversations with diverse and inspiring guests, laughing and learning with them,” she says.
The royal family’s deal with Spotify was reportedly struck in 2020 for $20 million. NBC News could not immediately verify the number.
A Spotify spokesman did not confirm the cost of the deal, but said the company’s recent layoffs were “unrelated” to the decision to end the deal with Harry and Meghan.
When their deal with Spotify was first announcedHarry and Meghan wrote in a joint statement: “What we love about the podcast is that it reminds us all to take a moment to really listen and connect without distractions.”
They said: “In the face of the challenges of 2020, now is the most important time to do so, because when we hear each other’s voices, when we hear each other’s stories, we are reminded of how connected we are all.” Coping with Covid- 19 Difficulties posed by the pandemic.
“The Duke and Duchess of Sussex may live in California, but the strength of their voices depends on their status as citizens of the world,” said Dawn Ostroff, then chief content and advertising officer at Spotify. ) said at a press conference at the time.
“We are proud to be working with the Duke and Duchess and look forward to hearing directly from them and the other creators they will elevate through our global platforms,” Ostrov said.