A top Spotify executive has called Prince Harry and Meghan Markle "f***ing grifters" after their Archetypes podcast was axed.
The Duchess' podcast will not be renewed for a second season after the couple won a $25m deal to produce content for the digital music streaming giant.
The move could potentially cost the couple $10 million, and now Bill Simmons, Head of Podcast Innovation and Monetisation at Spotify, has hit out at the pair in an episode of his own podcast released on Friday.
"The f***ing grifters. That's the podcast we should have launched with them," he said.
"I've 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."
Simmons sold his sports and pop culture website and podcast network The Ringer and to Spotify in 2020 for $200 million and then joined Spotify.
He has previously been critical of the couple and last January, he said it was "embarrassing" to be employed by the same company as Prince Harry.
"Shoot this guy to the sun," he said, according to sports website The Big Lead.
"I'm so tired of this guy. What does he bring to the table? He just whines about s*** and keeps giving interviews.
"Who gives a s***? Who cares about your life?
"You weren't even the favorite son. You live in f****** Montecito and you just sell documentaries and podcasts and nobody cares what you have to say about anything unless you talk about the royal family and you just complain about them."
Meghan hosted the podcast Archetypes which ran for 12 episodes from August last year.
She chatted to celebrities, historians and experts about the history of stereotypes levelled against women.
The Duchess of Sussex interviewed the likes of tennis star Serena Williams, singer Mariah Carey, Paris Hilton and actors Mindy Kaling and Constance Wu.
The parting of ways has now been confirmed by a statement from Archewell Audio, the couple’s content creation label, and Spotify.
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.”
Harry and Meghan signed a 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.
In December, Archetypes won the top podcast award at the People’s Choice Award in Los Angeles.
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.”
Archetypes was launched with the aim of investigating "labels that try to hold women back" through conversations between Meghan and historians, experts and women who have experienced being typecast.
Earlier this year the Duchess of Sussex was awarded a Gracie Award for her Spotify podcast.
The Gracie awards, which are organised by the Alliance for Women in Media Foundation celebrate exemplary programming and achievements by women in the media.
Responding to her win on the Archewell website, Meghan said: "Thank you to the Alliance for Women in Media Foundation for this prestigious honor.
"This is a shared success for me and the team behind Archetypes – most of whom are women – and the inspiring guests who joined me each week."
