Meghan Markle strikes new podcast deal amid website ‘shutdown’ crisis

Meghan Markle seems to have struck a new podcast deal shortly after launching a website with her husband Prince William and 8 months after parting ways with Spotify.

The 42-year-old Duchess of Sussex will now collaborate with Lemonada Media, the company that created Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Hard Feelings with Jennette McCurdy and was launched in 2019 by Jessica Cordova Kramer and Stephanie Wittels Wachs.

Markle's move will enable her to release her previous Spotify series, Archetypes, in addition to launching a new audio series.

“I’m proud to now be able to share that I am joining the brilliant team at Lemonada to continue my love of podcasting,” the royal gushed in a statement.

“Being able to support a female-founded company with a roster of thought-provoking and highly entertaining podcasts is a fantastic way to kick off 2024,” she added.

“Our plan to re-release Archetypes so that more people can now have access to it, as well as launching a dynamic new podcast is well in the works. I’m so eager to be able to share it soon, and am overjoyed to be joining the Lemonada family.”

The news comes after Markle and her husband, Prince Harry launched a new website, or we can say, revamped the old one called "Sussexroyal.com", causing seemingly a rift between them and the Royals for dropping the “royal” from the title.

The royal could have their website ‘shut down’ for violating protocols by launching it under the banner of "Sussex.com".

The Palace will closely monitor the couple's antics on the platform, a source told the Daily Mail, adding, "If there is any hint of commercialism about this it will be shut down."

The website was unveiled earlier this week by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, which sparked rumours about their unexpected rebranding.

The pair were accused by many of attempting to use their royal titles as leverage to turn around their failing Hollywood careers. 

Others, meanwhile, surmised that they were making fun of their return to the royal family.

“That is a fact. It is their surname and family name,” an insider close to Harry and Meghan reacted to the backlash over their latest stunt.

The late Queen would have been "furious" with the couple for reportedly breaking the Sandringham Summit Agreement, which prohibits them from using their respective titles in their daily life, according to royal expert Angela Levin, who also shared her thoughts on the stint.