Why Meghan’s podcast has hit a snag before it even begins: Duchess’s much-heralded new Archetypes audio shows are put on ice ‘until next year at the earliest’ while she focuses on her lifestyle brand, reveals RICHARD EDEN

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex were damningly described as ‘f*****g grifters’ by a Spotify executive hours after the parting of the ways was announced between them and the audio giant last year.

So I’m sorry to hear that Meghan’s new deal with a much smaller podcast company is struggling to get off the starting blocks.

Prince Harry‘s wife announced amid great fanfare in February that she had signed a deal with Lemonada Media, a female-founded company that wants to ‘make life suck less’.

The Duchess, who produced only one series of her podcast Archetypes for Spotify before parting ways with the company, had signed with Lemonada to develop and host a new series.

However, a source tells me that there is not expected to be any work broadcast this year. ‘The relaunch of Meghan’s Archetypes podcast got pushed back to 2025,’ the California-based source says.

The Duchess of Sussex (pictured) announced amid great fanfare in February that she had signed a deal with Lemonada Media, a female-founded company that wants to ‘make life suck less’, writes Richard Eden

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex (pictured, in May 2023) were damningly described as ‘f*****g grifters’ by a Spotify executive hours after the parting of the ways was announced between them and the audio giant last year

The Duchess, who produced only one series of her podcast Archetypes for Spotify before parting ways with the company, had signed with Lemonada to develop and host a new series

However, a source tells me that there is not expected to be any work broadcast this year. ‘The relaunch of Meghan’s Archetypes podcast got pushed back to 2025,’ the California-based source says (pictured: the Sussexes in April) 

A spokesman for Meghan declined to comment, but sources claim she had a list of ‘very high-profile guests’ scheduled to participate in her new podcasts

It is understood that Lemonada did not want the podcast’s launch to be overshadowed by the former actress’s television series, which she began filming at a rented house in Montecito last week. Netflix said the show would ‘celebrate the joys of cooking and gardening, entertaining and friendship’.

Lemonada is said to be concerned that there would also be ‘scheduling conflicts’ between the launch of its podcasts and that of Meghan’s lifestyle brand, American Riviera Orchard.

A spokesman for Meghan declined to comment, but sources claim she had a list of ‘very high-profile guests’ scheduled to participate in her new podcasts.

Guests on her series of 12 podcasts for Spotify included Wimbledon champion Serena Williams, pop star Mariah Carey, and Sex and the City author Candace Bushnell.

Bill Simmons, Spotify’s head of podcast innovation and monetisation, blasted the Duke and Duchess as ‘f****** grifters’ just hours after their reported £15million deal was axed last summer. The damning putdown is an American term for people ‘who engage in petty or small-scale swindling’.

He ranted: ‘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.’

Meghan said in February that she was ‘overjoyed’ to be joining Lemonada, which describes itself as an ‘award-winning, independent…podcast network, with a mission to make life suck less’ 

Lemonada is said to be concerned that there would also be ‘scheduling conflicts’ between the launch of its podcasts and that of Meghan’s lifestyle brand, American Riviera Orchard (pictured: strawberry jam from the new brand) 

Bill Simmons (pictured), Spotify’s head of podcast innovation and monetisation, blasted the Duke and Duchess as ‘f****** grifters’ just hours after their reported £15million deal was axed last summer

It is understood that Lemonada did not want the podcast’s launch to be overshadowed by the former actress’s television series. Netflix said the show would ‘celebrate the joys of cooking and gardening, entertaining and friendship’ (pictured: the couple in Los Angeles in 2020)

Guests on her series of 12 Archetypes podcasts for Spotify included pop star Mariah Carey, and Sex and the City author Candace Bushnell

Wimbledon champion Serena Williams also featured on the Spotify series

Meghan added: ‘Our plan to re-release Archetypes so that more people can now have access to it, as well as launching a dynamic new podcast, are well in the works. I’m so eager to be able to share it soon’ 

The couple produced less than 13 hours of content during the three-year partnership: 12 episodes of Meghan’s Archetypes show, and a 30-minute Christmas special featuring both the Duke and Duchess.

Meghan said in February that she was ‘overjoyed’ to be joining Lemonada, which describes itself as an ‘award-winning, independent…podcast network, with a mission to make life suck less’. She added: ‘Our plan to re-release Archetypes so that more people can now have access to it, as well as launching a dynamic new podcast, are well in the works. I’m so eager to be able to share it soon.’

Just not that soon…