Meghan Markle Announces Next Big Project Set to Debut This Summer

By Daniel S. Levine

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's podcast studio Archewell Audio will continue working with Spotify. Markle plans to release her first podcast on the platform this summer, after producing no content for them in 2021. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex signed an exclusive deal with Spotify back in December 2020, but they have only produced a holiday special released later that month since.

Archewell did not share details of the new series, as its statement instead provided an update on recent talks between the studio and Spotify about misinformation on the platform. "As we all continue to tackle the misinformation era, Archewell Audio has found it important to work with our partners at Spotify to ensure that the digital technologies so many of us use every day are rooted in strong principles of trust and safety," an Archewell spokeswoman said in a statement to Deadline. "We are encouraged by ongoing conversations we've had with Spotify on this shared goal and have been working closely with their team as well as their senior leadership-towards policies, practices, and strategies meant to raise creator awareness, minimize the spread of misinformation and support transparency."

Archewell is "eager to be responsible stewards of an audio landscape that is well-resourced with quality, fact-based information-particularly when it comes to public health," the spokeswoman continued. When the new podcast debuts, it will be Archewell's first podcast episode since the half-hour "2020 Archewell Audio Holiday Special" was published.

Spotify's exclusive deal with Archewell was announced in December 2020. The deal was reportedly worth $30 million. There was tabloid speculation that Spotify was upset with Archewell's lack of production, but the studio made moves to ramp things up recently. They hired Rebecca Sananes, former lead producer for Vox Media, as head of Archewell Audio and producer Ben Browning as head of content for Archewell Audio and Archewell productions reports The Hollywood Reporter.

In January, Archewell joined the chorus calling out Spotify for continuing to distribute podcasts with COVID-19 misinformation, particularly Joe Rogan Experience episodes. "We have continued to express our concerns to Spotify to ensure changes to its platform are made to help address this public health crisis," the statement read. "We look to Spotify to meet this moment and are committed to continuing our work together as it does." 

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