Meghan Markle, Prince Harry sign deal with Spotify to produce podcasts

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry are going to be podcasters.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have signed a multimillion-dollar deal with Spotify to host and produce their own podcasts, they announced Tuesday.

They are again following in the footsteps of the Obamas by signing up with both Netflix and Spotify.

They have set up Archewell Audio and signed an exclusive multi-year deal with the platform, and said in a statement released Tuesday they will produce programming “that uplifts and entertains audiences around the world.”

Later this month, they say they’ll release a holiday special that will feature “stories of hope and compassion from inspirational guests in celebration of the new year,” in partnership with Spotify’s Gimlet studio.

The couple, who moved to Montecito, California, earlier this year after quitting their roles as senior royals, said in the statement: “What we love about podcasting is that it reminds all of us to take a moment and to really listen, to connect to one another without distraction.”

They added, “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.”

Spotify chief content and advertising business officer Dawn Ostroff — who had already signed up Michelle Obama for the service, which has 320 million users around the world — said: “The Duke and Duchess of Sussex may live in California but the power of their voices rests in their status as citizens of the world.”

“That they are embracing the extraordinary capacity of podcasts on Spotify while also seeking to elevate underrepresented voices is a testament to their appreciation for the potential of audio storytelling,” she added.

She said Spotify users will be able to listen directly to the Duke and Duchess as well as “other creators that they will be elevating via our global platform.”

The first complete series from Archewell Audio and Spotify is expected next year.

The Sussexes have said they aim to be financially independent from the royal family and have already signed a mega production deal with Netflix, as former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle did back in 2018.

On Monday, Markle announced she had started investing in businesses — with her first investment in women-led coffee business Clevr Blends.

As Page Six reported, she gifted a package of the lattes to neighbor and friend Oprah Winfrey, who then promoted the coffee to her 19.2 million Instagram followers.