Here Comes the Brand New Royal in Ya Ear: The Sussexes Ink Exclusive Podcast Deal With Spotify

If youโ€™ve been a loyal fan of the dulcet tones of our forever first lady, Michelle Obama, via her eponymous podcast on Spotify (with occasional guest appearances from her presidential partner), the digital music and podcast platform will now also have some royalty coming across their airwaves. Prince Harry and Meghan Markleโ€”also known as the…

If youโ€™ve been a loyal fan of the dulcet tones of our forever first lady, Michelle Obama, via her eponymous podcast on Spotify (with occasional guest appearances from her presidential partner), the digital music and podcast platform will now also have some royalty coming across their airwaves. Prince Harry and Meghan Markleโ€”also known as the Sussexes, will reportedly continue to follow the strategically laid path of the Obamas, having also inked an exclusive multi-year partnership with Spotify.

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Earlier this year, the Sussexes joined the Obamas at Netflix, scoring a multi-year deal reportedly worth approximately $100 million (h/t Elle). They also signed to Obamasโ€™ speakersโ€™ bureau the Harry Walker Agency. On Tuesday morning, Deadline reported that the duke and duchess will once again follow in the footsteps of the political power couple, now to โ€œproduce audio programming via their company Archewell Audio.โ€

Per Deadline: โ€œThe pair said that they wanted to create shows to โ€œspotlight diverse perspectives and voices.โ€ A joint statement from the duke and duchess explained their attraction to the format, reading:

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 otherโ€™s stories, we are reminded of how interconnected we all are.

The investment will likely prove a worthy investment for Spotify. As Harperโ€™s Bazaar reports, Meghan and Harryโ€™s decision to step down as senior royals earlier this year in no way affected their profile on the world stage; in fact, exclusive data shared with the magazine revealed that โ€œMeghan was the most tweeted-about member of the royal family in 2020, closely followed by Harry and Queen Elizabeth, respectively.โ€

In a year that has seen interest in the House of Windsor surge, thanks to the Duke and Duchess of Sussexโ€™s official departure in March, as well as the recent release of The Crownโ€™s fourth season, more than 20 million tweets around the world were written about royal family membersโ€”a rise of more than 30 percent from the previous year, according to official data shared by Twitter, Inc. The social media platform currently has more than 330 million active monthly users in over 180 countries.

The data shared exclusively with BAZAAR sees Meghan and Harry taking the top two spots by a landslide. The duchessโ€™s newly found freedom, steady stream of meaningful appearances, and candid conversations, including her emotional New York Times essay last month on losing a baby, saw Meghan at the center of more Twitter conversations than any other royal.

โ€œThe 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,โ€ noted Spotify Chief Content and Advertising Business Officer, Dawn Ostroff. โ€œWe 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.โ€

The first full series from Archewell Audio is expected to premiere on Spotify next year, but royal watchers neednโ€™t wait that long; the Sussexes will host a holiday special later this month, produced in partnership with Spotifyโ€™s Gimlet studio. Per Deadline, the special will feature โ€œstories of hope and compassion from inspirational guests in celebration of the new year.โ€

Updated: Tuesday, 12/15/20, at 2:52 p.m., ET: Apparently, Spotify is just one of two major moves made by Meghan this week. As reported by Fortune, on Monday, the duchess also announced her first venture as a start-up investor. After trying Clevr Blendsโ€™ instant oat milk lattes at a pop-up event, Meghan reportedly reached out to the company, founded by Hannah Mendoza and headquartered near the coupleโ€™s Montecito home, ultimately becoming the companyโ€™s first outside investor.

โ€œThis investment is in support of a passionate female entrepreneur who prioritizes building community alongside her business,โ€ wrote Meghan in a statement about the new partnership. โ€œIโ€™m proud to invest in Hannahโ€™s commitment to sourcing ethical ingredients and creating a product that I personally love and has a holistic approach to wellness. I believe in her and I believe in her company.โ€

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