The world has long been fascinated with the British royal family. Now they have another way to get their fix. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are launching their own podcast, Archewell Audio, exclusively on Spotify this holiday season. In a two-minute audio trailer, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex explain why they’ve taken on this project – to tell unique stories from different perspectives and voices to help people better understand one another and to find common ground in a world that is so divided.
Though an initial launch date has not yet been set, the first episode is due out this month. It will be a holiday special. Listeners can visit the Archewell Audio profile on Spotify and click Follow to be notified when new episodes drop.
Royal couple shares vision for Archewell Audio
“We’re talking to some amazing people,” said Markle in the trailer. “They’re going to share their memories that have really helped shape this past year which has been, as we know, a difficult one for everyone.”
Prince Harry added, “So many people have been through so much pain this year, experiencing loss, a huge amount of uncertainty, but it feels worth acknowledging that 2020 has connected us in ways we could never have imagined through endless acts of compassion and kindness.”
Spotify made the announcement about the multi-year partnership on Tuesday. In their official statement, the Duke and Duchess said, “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. 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.”
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Spotify statement
Spotify’s chief content and advertising business officer Dawn Ostroff commented on the new relationship and the royal couple’s podcast, Archewell Audio.
“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,” said Ostroff. “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. We are proud to partner with The Duke and Duchess and look forward to listeners hearing directly from them and the other creators that they will be elevating via our global platform.”
Earlier this year, the couple left royal life in England, moving to California to enjoy a more private life with their young son Archie. In September, Prince Harry and Markle formed a production company and signed a multiyear production deal with Netflix to create documentaries, docu-series, nature series, feature films, scripted shows and children’s programming. Though details of the Netflix arrangement were not disclosed, the deal is estimated to be worth $100 million. Spotify has not disclosed the terms of its partnership with the royal couple either.
Insider Take
In the audio trailer, the Duke and Duchess’s personalities shine through as individuals and as a couple. Their warm, endearing nature will lend itself well to the compassion and kindness that will underlie each podcast and will make them an instant hit. Choosing Spotify as their exclusive platform will give the royal couple incredible reach with the streaming audio service’s 144 million premium subscribers and 320 million monthly active users.
From Spotify’s perspective, this is a huge coup with the potential to drive advertising and subscription revenue. No other platform will be able to compete with this type of content. Archewell Audio is likely to attract fans of the royal couple who may not have used Spotify previously. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex could exponentially increase Spotify’s reach to an entirely different audience. Though I am already a Spotify subscriber, I am not a podcast listener, and this content is unique and engaging enough to draw me in. How about you?
