Meghan Markle is primed for a busy 2024, and one project that has been confirmed is her new podcast deal—this time with Lemonada Media after Meghan and husband Prince Harry’s deal with Spotify fell through last summer.
Spotify and the Sussexes severed ties last June after a $20 million deal was inked in 2020; in those three years, there were just 13 episodes of content produced, all from Meghan’s show “Archetypes.”
In his book Endgame: Inside the Royal Family and the Monarchy’s Fight for Survival, Omid Scobie wrote that the deal “fell apart” because of creative differences, explaining that the audio giant was “looking for headline-grabbing, media-stirring content”—which Harry and Meghan weren’t comfortable with.
“Obviously they had money,” Scobie wrote. “But they needed serious money for a proper roof over their heads and security. It was the middle of a pandemic [when the deal was signed in 2020]; of course you’re going to sign the deals.”
Scobie went on to write “I’d imagine the couple knew at the start that’s what Spotify wanted from them, but the money was on the table, and they were in a desperate place.”
Scobie wrote that the Sussexes were unaware that Spotify would “turn down so many of their ideas,” and that they have learned a “mountain of lessons” about business dealings that they will take with them going forward, presumably including into the Lemonada deal.
OK reports that in her new podcasting deal, Meghan will have “more control” and “get more attention” than Spotify ever gave her. The outlet added that Meghan will “call the shots” this time, which would be appealing to any podcaster.
“Lemonada is an audio-first podcasting company, so Meghan won’t get all the bells and whistles that Spotify offered,” royal commentator Kinsey Schofield said. “But, with only 50 or so shows on their roster, Meghan will likely get way more attention and will have more control.”
In addition to Meghan’s forthcoming show, celebrities like Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Sarah Silverman have content on the network. Lemonada’s tagline is “Making life suck less, one podcast at a time,” which Schofield pointed out is similar to what Meghan said she’s looking to do with content she and Harry produce going forward. At the Variety Power of Women event last November, she said that she was looking to make “Things that make people feel—I was going to say ‘good,’ but it’s more than that. Things that make people feel something, right? And feel a sense of community. But we have so many exciting things on the slate. I can’t wait until we can announce them, but I’m just really proud of what we’re creating.”
In addition to new content with Lemonada, Meghan also announced that the “Archetypes” content—previously exclusive to Spotify—will now be available to stream on all podcast platforms. “Our plan to re-release ‘Archetypes’ so that more people can now have access to it, as well as launching a dynamic new podcast, is well in the works,” Meghan said in a statement.
“With Lemonada [being] such a small startup compared to the million-dollar pressure of Spotify, maybe Meghan can find an authentic voice and rhythm easier,” Schofield said.
There’s no word yet of what the name of Meghan’s new show will be, what topic it will focus on, or when we can expect it.
