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The collaborative effort between Spotify and Harry and Meghan has resulted in just one series of 12 episodes of the “Archaetypes” podcast.
Chris Jackson | Chris Jackson Collection | Getty Images
Spotify executive Bill Simmons described Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, as “left behind” after the couple’s partnership with the streaming platform came to a premature end on Friday.
The partnership with Harry and Meghan’s production company Archewell Audio was first announced in December 2020, and was originally described by Spotify as a “multi-year partnership” with delivery promise “A podcast that will inspire.”
However, the collaborative effort has resulted in only one series of 12 episodes of the ‘Archaetypes’ podcast, which saw Meghan interview notable guests, including Serena Williams and Mariah Carey.
The deal was widely reported at the time to be worth about $20 million.
“Spotify and Archewell Audio have mutually agreed to part ways and we’re proud of the series we’ve made together,” Spotify and Archewell Audio said in a joint statement.
This isn’t the first time Spotify’s head of podcast innovation and monetization Bill Simmons has made disparaging remarks about former royals, having previously said he was “embarrassed” about sharing the Spotify platform with Harry.
“Shoot that guy in the sun, I’m sick of that guy,” Simmons said on his self-titled podcast in January.
Simmons has previously gotten into hot water for voicing controversial views, including in 2014 when he was suspended by ESPN over comments he made about a domestic violence case.
Spotify declined to respond to Simmons’ remarks when contacted by CNBC. Archewell Audio did not immediately respond to CNBC’s request for comment.
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