The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s deal with Spotify has ended following a mutual agreement between the royals and the streaming giant.
The parting of the ways was confirmed by a joint statement from Archewell Audio, the couple’s content creation label, and Spotify.
The news prompted shock as the podcast Archetypes, which ran for 12 episodes from August 2022, was well received by the public and won the top podcast award at the People’s Choice Award in Los Angeles.
Harry and Meghan signed the lucrative deal with the audio streaming giant to host and produce podcasts, estimated to be worth around 25 million US dollars (£18 million), in late 2020.
Editor in Chief of Majesty magazine and royal biographer Ingrid Seward says the royal family will now be "laughing" at the loss of the flashy deal.
She told the Mirror: "The Duke and Duchess of Sussex appear to be on a different path.
"When they first hit California, they hit it running and were feted by everybody snapping up deals left right and centre.
"The amounts of money they seemed to be earning were awesome. Netflix was first swiftly followed by Spotify, both deals reported to be worth $60 million dollars between them.
"Then the Publisher Penguin Random House signed up Harry for an autobiography which he didn’t even have to write himself.
"Suddenly they seemed far further away than the five thousand miles which separate them from the royal family.
"Instead of hats and suits they were barefoot in jeans. Instead of Frogmore Cottage under the Heathrow flightpath, they had the beauty of the mountains and the ocean.
"It was all sunshine and palm trees and sprinkler fed lawns. Then the unravelling began."
Sources told the Wall Street Journal that the couple have not met the productivity benchmark required to receive the full payout agreed in their 2020 deal.
It follows claims the Sussexes planned to stop releasing content discussing the royal family because there is “nothing left to say”, as the couple seeks to replace their “era of visibility” with a “year of reconciliation”.
That's a move which Ingrid thinks will please the royals - but leave the couple in a tough position as their private life 'costs a fortune'.
She added: "Of course, it was ‘mutual’ agreement and everyone was ‘proud of the series they made together’ but the Sussex silver has become tarnished.
"Without them dissing on the royal family, which they have intimated they won’t be doing any more – what have they to offer ?
"There are many with more talent and experience. They will be taking the news in their stride but will not be happy. Their ‘private’ life costs a fortune to run.
"Despite their combined riches, they need a huge income just to keep going.
"The royal family will be laughing discreetly. They do not wish the Sussex’s any harm but are smarting from the way the Californian couple have run down the monarchy they have worked so hard to preserve.
"It has upset King Charles and Queen Camilla and was quite unnecessary.
"It may continue to come back and haunt them for some time."
Meghan hosted only one series as part of the deal – where she chatted to celebrities, historians and experts about the history of stereotypes levelled against women.
Tennis star Serena Williams, singer Mariah Carey, Paris Hilton and actors Mindy Kaling and Constance Wu were among the guests.
The joint statement from Archwell and Spotify said: “Spotify and Archewell Audio have mutually agreed to part ways and are proud of the series we made together.”
Meghan wrote on the couple’s Archewell website at the time: “I loved digging my hands into the process, sitting up late at night in bed, working on the writing and creative.
“And I loved digging deep into meaningful conversation with my diverse and inspiring guests, laughing and learning with them.
“It has been such a labour of love.”
