Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s ‘total system reboot’: Couple are revamping their career direction after being surprised at Spotify ‘turning down so many of their ideas’, sources claim

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex did not expect Spotify to ‘turn down so many of their ideas’, Omid Scobie has claimed in his new book.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s ‘cheerleader-in-chief’ said the couple have learnt a ‘mountain of lessons’ about ‘the business side of things’ after ‘rushing’ to sign commercial deals once they had left their roles in the Royal Family.

Writing in his book Endgame, which was published in the UK on Tuesday, Mr Scobie said the Sussexes ‘might have thought twice’ about signing some lucrative deals ‘had they not been under so much financial pressure.’

The couple’s multi-million-pound Spotify deal was axed in June following a ‘mutual’ decision between the streaming giant and Archewell Audio – the Duke and Duchess’ company.

For their next chapter, Meghan, 42, and Harry, 39, are ’embarking on a total system reboot’, a source told PEOPLE, while an insider told Mr Scobie that the Duchess is building ‘something rooted in her love of details, curating, hosting, life’s simple pleasures, and family.’

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex (pictured) did not expect Spotify to ‘turn down so many of their ideas’, Omid Scobie has claimed in his new book

Discussing the Spotify deal, Mr Scobie wrote: ‘Neither of the two expected executives to turn down so many of their ideas. The streamer, said a company source, was only interested in paying out for juicy goods that could generate major headlines and bring in subscriptions.’

He added that only a portion of the ‘$20million’ (£15m) deal was ever paid out, with a source quoted in the book as saying: ‘There have definitely been a mountain of lessons learned when it comes to the business side of things.’

Mr Scobie suggested Meghan’s next move is building ‘something more accessible… something rooted in her love of details, curating, hosting, life’s simple pleasures, and family,’ according to a source.

A friend of the Duchess told the author: ‘Meghan is busy working on creating something safe and timeless. And something that won’t be accused of riding on the back of anything royal.’

Meanwhile, a source told PEOPLE magazine that the Duke and Duchess are ‘all about the future.’

They said: ‘What we’re seeing – and will see more of I think – is Heghan 2.0. Part Deux. They know of their supposed failures and how it’s viewed, but they have almost gone more tech than Hollywood. Fail big and all that.  

‘They have swapped in and out all sorts of projects and people and are embarking on a total system reboot.’

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s ‘cheerleader-in-chief’ said the couple (pictured in September 2023) have learnt a ‘mountain of lessons’ about ‘the business side of things’ after ‘rushing’ to sign commercial deals once they had left their roles in the Royal Family

Writing in his book Endgame, which was published in the UK on Tuesday, Mr Scobie said the Sussexes ‘might have thought twice’ about signing some lucrative deals ‘had they not been under so much financial pressure’

In October, Spotify’s chief executive suggested that Harry and Meghan’s podcast deal collapsed because it failed to make consumers happy after the Sussexes made just 12 episodes in two-and-a-half years.

Daniel Ek, who was making a rare media appearance almost four months after it was announced that the Archetypes podcast would not be renewed for a second season, admitted that some of Spotify’s innovative ideas have not gone to plan. 

Sources close to the couple’s multi-million pound deal – which was signed by them in 2020 – said it was was dropped after the pair did not produce enough content to warrant the full payout. 

Shedding new light on the decision not to renew Harry and Meghan’s deal, Spotify boss Ek told the BBC: ‘We thought new innovation was needed to happen here. 

‘We thought we can come in and offer a great experience that both makes consumers very happy and allows new creators new avenues.’

He added: ‘And the truth of the matter is some of it has worked, some of it hasn’t. We’re learning from those and we are moving on and we wish all of the ones we didn’t renew with the best of success they can have going forward.’

Ek was speaking to the BBC’s Zoe Kleinman who had questioned him on whether 12 podcasts across two-and-a-half years from the Sussexes was worth £18million. She said his response had been ‘very diplomatic’. 

Meghan’s podcast was one of the most high-profile casualties at the time. It came after Spotify’s deal with Barack and Michell Obama’s production company also ended last year.

On a conference call with financial analysts earlier this year, Ek conceded mistakes were made during a spree of more than $1billion as it attempted to establish itself as the top competitor in the industry.

After it was revealed that Harry and Meghan’s podcast would not be renewed, Spotify exec Bill Simmons described the couple as ‘f****** grifters’, an Americanism for swindlers. 

Simmons, Head of Podcast Innovation and Monetization at Spotify, condemned the pair in an episode of his own podcast.

‘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.’

Mr Scobie today insisted that Harry and Meghan did not brief him for Endgame – but revealed ‘people around them’ were happy to tell all about ‘the ins and outs’ of their rows with Royal Family.

The author appears to be in New York for a series of US TV interviews to promote his latest attack on the Royal Family, calling much of the criticism of it ‘nonsense’.

Speaking to the London Evening Standard, the Sussexes’ preferred royal reporter said that he had met Meghan on a number of occasions.

But he again denied being close to the former Suits star and her royal husband, repeatedly insisting that they had not helped him with the new book. 

He said: ‘There’s enough people around them and in their orbit who know the ins and outs of things’, adding: ‘If there’s ever been a private encounter with Meghan, I’ve spoken about it’.

Mr Scobie has denied he was biased towards the Sussexes, saying that he’s drawn to ‘injustice’ and aims to highlight what he sees as the hypocrisy of the Windsors trying to be a ‘perfect example of traditional family values’. 

Scobie’s ‘depressingly poisonous’ Endgame was today written off as just another book by those inside Buckingham Palace, MailOnline can reveal. Omid is particularly cruel to Prince William and his wife, who he says is dubbed ‘Katie Keen’.

He also appears to blame them, especially Kate, for pushing Meghan out: ‘There was a coldness towards Meghan from the very early stages that I always found quite surprising.

‘I always found it interesting that when Meghan was going through the sort of toughest days of her life, and struggling with mental health issues… someone within the family who’s experienced that glare as a newcomer for the first time herself… wasn’t able to turn around and help a family member. To me, I think that speaks a lot to someone’s character’.

He also said to the Evening Standard that as a ‘woman of colour’, Meghan becoming a royal is a ‘really important moment in British history’.

He said the Windsors should have tried harder to keep her close, ‘regardless of whether she’s likeable’. Not keeping her in The Firm sends a ‘strong message about the institution’s attitudes towards people from different backgrounds’.

He told the Standard that the Prince William is now ‘very consumed, very hot tempered, quick to react’ and staff needing to ‘check which way the wind’s blowing before talking to him’.

Scobie told the Standard: ‘It makes me wonder how happy he is in his role’, adding that he believes there is a ‘widening divide between father and son’.

William, Harry, Meghan and Charles speak together at Westminster Abbey in March 2019

Omid Scobie’s new book Endgame about the Royal Family is released today

Buckingham Palace has kept a contemptuous silence but a royal source has dismissed Scobie’s Endgame as just another book on the Windsors that is not worthy of official comment. 

The insider told MailOnline when asked if there were truth in claims made by Mr Scobie: ‘There are hundreds of books written about the Royal Family’. Endgame was released today but some of the reviews have been poor. 

Even the Sussex-sympathising New York Times was withering, comparing his writing to an AI chatbot with one section compared to a press release from Meghan and Harry. 

The new book on the royals was branded ‘vicious’ and ‘plain nasty’ last night. Well-placed sources described wild claims that Charles, Camilla and William conspired to undermine Harry and Meghan as ‘depressingly poisonous’. 

Omid Scobie‘s book also takes aim at the Princess of Wales, branding her ‘cold’ and lambasting her for backing mental health causes while ‘ignoring Meghan’s cries for help’.