Prince Harry and Meghan Markle may be “tarnished for life” following their tumultuous Spotify podcast deal that went up in flames last year, according to a leading royal commentator.
Head of Podcast Innovation and Monetization at Spotify Bill Simmons savaged the Montecito couple, branding them “f****** grifters”.
Speaking on his own podcast, Mr Simmons said: “I wish I had been involved in the ‘Meghan and Harry leave Spotify’ negotiation. “‘The F****** Grifters. That’s the podcast we should have launched with them. I have 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 … F*** them. The grifters.”
Tom Bower, author of Revenge: Meghan, Harry and the war between the Windsors, told Closer: “Of course they’ve lost their big Spotify contract – one of the big contracts that was clearly going to be their basis for fame. The ‘grifters’ line has tarnished them for life.”
The £18 million Archetypes podcast was axed after only 12 episodes in June 2023, amid concerns that the pair did not meet “productivity requirements”.
Biographer Mr Bower recently told TalkTV that the California-based duo were running out of options to earn a living. He told Jeremy Kyle and Rosie Wright: “In terms of honest employment I think they do – both of them – have a huge problem. Their endorsements are really not worth anything any more and that’s why people are rightly saying they’re facing a financial problem.”
Earlier, speaking of Meghan’s remaining financial avenues, he said: “The only thing she has got left – and I think that is her potential gold mine – is her autobiography. She has a very very vivid imagination and she’ll be able to spell out an amazing story… to increase her income.”
The duo may be looking for a fresh start to 2024, but they were not spared the wrath of Golden Globes host Jo Koy on January 7.
Mocking the Montecito couple’s commercial slip-ups, Mr Koy quipped: “Harry and Meghan Markle got paid millions for doing absolutely nothing – and that’s just by Netflix.”
That wasn’t the only dig aimed at Prince Harry. The stand-up also discussed The Crown in front of his audience of actors and showbiz bosses. In his opening gambit, he said: “How great was Imelda Staunton in The Crown, wasn’t she amazing?
“Her portrayal of the Queen was so good Prince Harry called her and asked her for money.” Prince Harry and Meghan were not in attendance at the red carpet event.
