London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Jun 29, 2026

UK's Prince Harry and Meghan Markle sign exclusive podcast deal with Spotify, prompting glee & eyerolls

UK's Prince Harry and Meghan Markle sign exclusive podcast deal with Spotify, prompting glee & eyerolls

The UK’s Prince Harry and the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan Markle, have become the latest celebrities to sign an exclusive multi-year podcast deal with Spotify.

Their new venture Archewell Audio will undergo a full launch next year, with the couple first presenting a ‘holiday special’ later this month, closer to Christmas.

In a statement on Tuesday, Prince Harry and the Duchess of Sussex claimed they “love” podcasting because it allows people “to connect to one another without distraction.”

“With the challenges of 2020, there has never been a more important time to do so, because when we hear each other, and hear each other’s stories, we are reminded of how interconnected we all are,” the pair added.

Spotify’s Chief Content Officer Dawn Ostroff heaped praise on the couple in her own statement, calling the California residents “citizens of the world” who are “seeking to elevate underrepresented voices” as part of their show.

Archewell Audio already has a page ready on the Spotify platform, with a two-minute trailer which gives listeners a taste of what to expect from the production company.

In the trailer, after the two briefly discussed who should speak before the other – with Harry proposing “ladies first” – the Duchess of Sussex says they will be talking to “some amazing people."

Prince Harry then declares that, though “so many people have been through so much pain this year, experiencing loss” and uncertainty, “2020 has connected us in ways we could never imagined through endless acts of compassion and kindness.”

Spotify’s new venture from the Duke and Duchess of Sussex – who also signed a high-value Netflix deal this year – is just the latest in a long list of high-profile podcast acquisitions during 2020, including Joe Rogan’s ‘The Joe Rogan Experience’, former US First Lady Michelle Obama’s ‘The Michelle Obama Podcast’, and a “criminal-justice podcast” from reality television star Kim Kardashian.

The announcement prompted mixed reactions on social media, as some expressed glee at the news, while others rolled their eyes.


“I think my blood pressure can’t take this much excitement in two days...I love them,” commented one person, while another called the royal couple “much-needed positive & uplifting voices.”



Others expressed less excitement for the new venture, threatening to cancel their Spotify subscriptions and claiming they would rather watch paint dry.



Another simply mused that while Markle is “ok,” Prince Harry “talks funny.”


Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
UK Launches New Measures to Improve Safety Standards in Night-Time Venues
UK Tightens Import Rules for Low-Value Parcels to Support Domestic Retailers
UK Launches £85 Million Obesity Care Programme Targeting Early Intervention Projects
UK Commits Up to $26 Million to Ebola Response in Democratic Republic of Congo
Security Industry Authority Flags Safety Failures in Night-Time Economy Inspections
Cambridge South Railway Station Opens After £250 Million Investment
UK Moves to Close Import Duty Loophole for Small Parcels by 2028
UK Invests £85 Million in Projects to Transform Obesity Care
Berkeley Group Warns London Housebuilding Falling Far Short of Demand
UK Council Tax Arrears Rise to £9.3 Billion Amid Ongoing Household Financial Strain
Markets Watch Political Transition as Andy Burnham Emerges as Labour Leadership Frontrunner
Extreme Heat Raises Long-Term Risks for UK Inflation and Productivity, Analysts Warn
UK Health Alerts Extended as Record June Heatwave Grips England
UK Parliament Faces High-Stakes Week of Spending, Security and Industrial Legislation
UK Repeals Vagrancy Act Ending Criminalisation of Rough Sleeping in England and Wales
GB News Pundit Charged With Fraud Over Alleged Conduct as Former Labour Adviser
Reform UK Gains Parliamentary Visibility in First Senedd Opposition Appearance
Metropolitan Police Arrest Man on Suspicion of Attempted Murder After London Car Incident
Ocado Chief Executive Tim Steiner Faces Scrutiny Over £100 Million Remuneration Package
British Chambers of Commerce Downgrades UK Growth Outlook to 0.9 Percent for 2026
Nottingham University Hospitals Maternity Failings Trigger Renewed Calls for Public Inquiry
Severe Heatwave Disrupts UK Transport Networks and Strains Public Services Across England
Labour Leadership Transition Raises Prospect of Andy Burnham Becoming UK Prime Minister
UK Government Confirms Further Medicine Price Concessions for Community Pharmacies in June
British Chambers of Commerce Calls for Public Procurement Reform to Boost Regional Growth
Thousands Mark Armed Forces Day Across the United Kingdom With National Parades and Flypasts
Man Arrested in Ealing on Suspicion of Attempted Murder After Vehicle Ramming Incident Injures Five
Cambridge South Station Opens With £250 Million Investment to Strengthen Life Sciences Corridor
UK Heat-Health Alerts Extended Across England as High Temperatures Persist
Thames Water and Energy Operators Warn of Peak Demand Risks During UK Heatwave
Government Conference Highlights Push for Evidence-Led Policy Across UK Public Sector
Insolvency Service Reports Improved Confidence in UK Insolvency System
Security Industry Authority Finds Widespread Safety Failures in UK Night-Time Economy
Nigel Farage Expands Anti-WHO Campaign Into United States With New Lobbying Structure
Home Secretary Seema Mahmood Unveils New Safe Routes Plan for Asylum Seekers
UK Government Warns of Peak Electricity and Water Pressure Amid Ongoing Heatwave
New Nuclear Plant in Wales Named Gwyndod Power Station as Energy Strategy Advances
UK Announces First Major Hydropower Projects in Four Decades to Expand Renewable Capacity
Thirteen Men Charged in Major UK Sexual Abuse Case as Investigation Continues
UK Launches Cross-Sector Climate Security Taskforce Linking Environment and National Security
UN Secretary-General António Guterres Calls for Urgent Global Methane Emissions Cuts in London
World Bank Approves $1 Billion UK-Backed Financing Package for Ukraine Recovery
UK Pledges Emergency Aid and Rescue Team Deployment to Earthquake-Hit Venezuela
Bank of England Holds Interest Rates at 3.75 Percent for Fourth Straight Meeting
Record-Breaking Heatwave Puts Strain on UK Health Services and Energy Networks
London Ambulance Service Sees Record Emergency Demand as Heatwave Intensifies
British Chambers of Commerce Warns of Prolonged Weak Investment Climate Through 2027
Bank of England Holds Interest Rates as Inflation Risks Persist
UK Construction Sector Faces One Percent Contraction Amid Cost and Investment Pressures
Former DUP Leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson Convicted of Sexual Offences
×