Meghan Markle’s new podcast deal with Lemonada Media could see her make a significant financial loss, as the smaller independent company has less revenue than audio giant Spotify.
When Prince Harry and Meghan first moved to the US to set themselves up independently from the Royal Family, they signed a number of entertainment deals, including one with Spotify to produce their own podcast series.
However Archetypes was pulled after just one series of 12 episodes, even though the Duchess of Sussex interviewed some impressive celebrity guests such as Serena Williams and Mariah Carey.
This year it was announced that Meghan had a new partnership with Lemonada Media to create new content, and the company will also distribute the original episodes of Archetypes.
While the contract with Spotify was worth around £18 million, this new deal may have significantly less financial value.
Branding expert Andrew Bloch told Fabulous: “The Lemonada deal is believed to be worth much less than the former Spotify deal.
“While the couple were paid around £18million by Spotify, Lemonada’s total revenue across all of its podcasts was around $8million (£6.3million) last year.”
It is not known exactly how much the Lemonada deal is worth, but Mr Bloch estimated: “Meghan’s new deal could be worth roughly 10 per cent of Spotify deal, so around £1.9million.”
Lemonada also produces podcasts from Seinfeld and Veep actress Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Nickeloden child star turned author Jennette McCurdy.
“I’m so eager to be able to share it soon, and am overjoyed to be joining the Lemonada family.”
At the start of the year Harry and Meghan also launched their new website, designed to bring together their previous work with Archewell and Sussex Royal.
The new Sussex.com site has attracted criticism for its prominence of the couple’s royal titles, which they still use despite no longer being working members of the Firm.
Upon leaving the royals in 2020 it was agreed the Sussexes could keep their titles as long as they did not use them for commercial purposes.
