Spotify Was Apparently Supposed to Release a Statement of Support for Meghan Markle as $20M Deal Ended—But Didn’t

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle look lovingly at each other while descending stairs

(Image credit: Getty)

published 28 June 2023

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have been in the news this month (as ever), this time with word of their deal with Spotify collapsing leading the headlines. Many Sussex haters (and oh, is there a contingent of them) have been quick to call the couple a flop, or, in the case of one Spotify exec, “grifters.” But, according to Us Weekly, the two are ready to move forward after the $20 million deal was axed—but not before allegedly airing some grievances about how the announcement from Spotify went down.

“Spotify was supposed to release a statement saying how great it was to work with Meghan, but they didn’t,” a source tells the publication, adding that the team behind the scenes “had been pushing Harry and Meghan for more content over the last year.”

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle hold hands in black tie

After the deal closed in 2020, the couple only produced the 12-episode “Archetypes,” hosted by Meghan. And even though Spotify didn’t release the aforementioned message of support, Netflix apparently got the memo, releasing a no holds barred stamp of approval for the Sussexes this week.

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But back to Spotify: Apparently, according to the insider, the duo “weren’t delivering” on what Spotify needed before the deal ended earlier this month. Meghan got word “a while ago” that “Archetypes” was being shelved, a second source tells the outlet.

Closeup of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle shaking hands with well-wishers

“It seems to be one assault after another these days, with people lining up to take cheap shots at them,” the source says. “Quite frankly, both she and Harry are sick and tired of it.”

Despite the Spotify deal having a disappointing ending, the couple already are focused on what’s ahead, which includes “a ton of exciting things in the pipeline,” the insider says. “[They’re] ready to come back stronger.”

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Rachel Burchfield is a writer, editor, and podcaster whose primary interests are fashion and beauty, society and culture, and, most especially, the British Royal Family and other royal families around the world. She serves as Marie Claire’s Senior Celebrity and Royals Editor and has also contributed to publications like Allure, Cosmopolitan, Elle, Glamour, Harper’s Bazaar, InStyle, People, Vanity Fair, Vogue, and W, among others. Before taking on her current role with Marie Claire, Rachel served as its Weekend Editor and later Royals Editor. She is the cohost of Podcast Royal, a show that was named a top five royal podcast by The New York Times. A voracious reader and lover of books, Rachel also hosts I’d Rather Be Reading, which spotlights the best current nonfiction books hitting the market and interviews the authors of them. Rachel frequently appears as a media commentator, and she or her work has appeared on outlets like NBC’s Today Show, ABC’s Good Morning America, CNN, and more.