When I was 19, I worked in a small clothing boutique that sold a surprisingly impressive designer assortment for a college town such as mine. On the ready-to-wear side, its racks were lined with Maryam Nassir Zadeh, Lauren Manoogian, and Samuji. And for denim, we exclusively sold Frame Denim, the brand every LA and NYC fashion girl was wearing at the time. I adored every pair from the brand and too often spent my entire paycheck on jeans.
One pair, in particular, that I bought and subsequently wore roughly three times a week every summer for years, was Frame’s Le Skinny de Jeanne style in white. When I graduated and moved to New York, I left a ton of clothing items behind, donating most of them and selling the rest. Those jeans were one of the pieces I parted ways with, an act I’m now very much regretting after spotting the exact same pair on none other than Meghan Markle.
Markle was seen exiting an office in Montecito, California wearing arguably the chicest, most luxurious outfit I’ve ever seen, consisting of a camel-colored robe coat, a cream sweater, an Hermès shawl, Chanel slingbacks, and an oversize, all-white Goyard tote. But even with all of that draped on her, the fashion item that my eyes were immediately drawn to were her jeans, the same exact pair of white Frame skinnies that I owned in college. Envious, I immediately started searching the internet for a pair to replace the ones I got rid of five years ago.
Below, check out Markle’s utterly elegant errands outfit and shop the closest pair of Frame jeans I could find to the now sold-out Le Skinny de Jeannes.
Meghan Markle may be having a blast at home in Los Angeles by taking in a Taylor Swift show while Prince Harry is abroad for charity engagements, but it looks like the prince is having some fun of his own.
After speaking at the International Sports Promotion Society Sports Values Summit in Tokyo Wednesday, Harry hit the mall with his friend Ignacio “Nacho” Figueras to browse for souvenirs to bring back home. Any potential jet lag, scientists say, is no match for a strong enough case of the shoppies.
Figueras, who is set to play alongside Harry in a charity polo match in Singapore this weekend, shared a photo on Instagram of himself and his princely pal, coordinating in aviator sunglasses and donning mock-serious facial expressions and crossed arms. It’s giving Royal Blue Steel, if you will.
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“Shopping for our wives,” Figueras captioned the photo, before thanking Tokyo “for your generous hospitality and kindness towards us. And of course, for your continued support of @sentebale!”
Sentebale is the charity co-founded by Harry and Prince Seeiso of Lesotho in 2006, with the goal of helping impoverished children in Africa who have been impacted by HIV/AIDS and COVID-19, among other public health crises. The polo match this weekend is a recurring fundraiser for the organization, and Harry typically participates.
Markle recently celebrated her 42nd birthday, and was spotted at Swift’s concert dancing to “You Belong With Me.” Lest we worry that she’s having all the fun, Harry told conference-goers at his speaking engagement that he’d had “an incredible Kobe steak” that night.
As an American mother of two children under the age of five, Meghan Markle had plenty of reasons not to join her husband Prince Harry on his trip across the Pacific to play in a charity polo match. But on Tuesday night, it became clear that she had a really good excuse for staying behind.
This week, Taylor Swift brought her Eras Tour to Los Angeles’s So-Fi Stadium, and according to Page Six, Meghan was spotted in the audience alongside her friend Lucy Fraser.People reports that during the Fearless portion of the show, when Swift said “Let’s go back to high school,” the duchess jumped out of her seat and danced to “You Belong With Me.”
Though Meghan hasn’t spoken publicly about any latent Swift fandom, she is a big fan of music, and was spotted at a Jack Johnson concert earlier this year. In June, The Wall Street Journal reported that Meghan had invited Swift to appear on her podcast Archetypes with a handwritten note, but the singer declined. But Meghan’s apparent enthusiasm at the concert Tuesday implies that there are no hard feelings on her behalf.
The concert took place four days after the duchess celebrated her 42nd birthday. In preparation for the ISPS Handa Polo Cup game in Singapore this weekend, Harry and his pal Nacho Figueras touched down in Tokyo on Tuesday. He later told a crowd at a panel discussion that he enjoyed “an incredible Kobe steak” that night. Just because Meghan wasn’t on the trip does not mean she was forgotten. On his Instagram, Figueras posted a photo of him and Harry trying on sunglasses in a Tokyo store with the caption, “Shopping for our wives,” and a sunglasses emoji.
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry may have exited the podcast space, but they’re still making content for Netflix. The Duke and Ducchess of Sussex’s Archewell Productions has acquired the rights to Carley Fortune‘s best selling romance novel Meet Me at the Lake, which bears a passing resemblance to Meghan and Harry’s own love story.
“I’m so thrilled about working with Netflix and Archewell to bring Meet Me at the Lake to the screen,” said Fortune in a statement to The Independent. “Will and Fern’s love story is dear to my heart, and I can’t imagine a more perfect partnership.”
Released on May 2nd, Meet Me at the Lake debuted at number one on the New York Times bestsellers list for paperback trade fiction. Fortune’s second novel was published by Penguin Random House, which also published Prince Harry’s massively successful autobiography, Spare, this past January. Markle, too, has a connection to Penguin Random House: her children’s book, The Bench, was published by a Random House imprint, Random House Books for Young Readers, in June of 2021.
Meet Me at the Lake follows two strangers, Will and Fern, on a daylong adventure where, per The Independent, “they make a promise one keeps and the other breaks, with life-changing effects.” The novel takes place in Toronto—where Meghan was shooting Suits when she first met Prince Harry—and the couple find each other in their thirties, which is also when Harry met Meghan. One of the novel’s protagonists lost their mother in a car accident, much like Prince Harry—whose mother, Princess Diana, died in a car crash when he was 12 years old.
In June, Meghan and Harry’s Archewell Audio mutually agreed to part ways with Spotify, after just a single season of Markle’s podcast Archetypes. While the reportedly $15 million Spotify partnership fell apart, Archewell’s relationship with Netflix is going strong. “We value our partnership with Archewell Productions,” a Netflix spokesperson told PEOPLE following the Spotify news. “Harry & Meghan was Netflix’s biggest documentary debut ever, and we’ll continue to work together on a number of projects, including the upcoming documentary series Heart of Invictus.”
“I never thought I’d be making this announcement, but since I am, it feels fitting that I’m doing it from the cottage where it all began,” wrote Fortune on Instagram. “I’m thrilled to confirm that I’m teaming up with Netflix and Archewell productions on the adaption of Meet Me at the Lake. Will and Fern’s love story is dear to my heart, and I can’t imagine a more perfect partnership. Writing this book was a tremendous personal challenge, and to see it recognized in this way is truly incredible.”
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It’s pretty much guaranteed that whatever Meghan Markle wears will sell out. Well, that is if it wasn’t custom made or impossible to get your hands on (which has happened quite a bit given the whole royal thing). Even then, though, I’d be willing to bet that at least one person got pretty close to sourcing the same thing. Luckily, her latest outfit isn’t quite so tricky to recreate, one, because it costs under $250, and two, because it’s still very much in stock at Moda Operandi.
Ahead of her 42nd birthday, Markle was spotted on a dinner date with Prince Harry at Tre Lune in Montecito, California wearing a black-and-cream striped tube dress that’s both reasonably affordable and majorly chic. The dress, called the Theo, was designed by the Australian label Posse, which has been allover the fashion news of late ever since Sofia Richie Grainge wore a linen two-piece set from the brand during her wedding weekend in the South of France.
Before Markle’s date-night dress sells out like Richie Grainge’s set did after she wore it, scroll down and snag one while supplies last.
In 2020, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle moved to California and made their initial forays into the tech and media sector against the backdrop of the pandemic, announcing a big deal with Netflix in September and an exclusive podcasting partnership with Spotify in December. By the following April, they made another serious commitment to a tech company when Harry announced his role as chief impact officer at the online mental health and career coaching start-up BetterUp.
At the time, CEO Alexi Robichaux said Harry was taking on a “meaningful and meaty role” at the company that matches customers with career coaches. Ever since, Harry has participated in plenty of public-facing events for BetterUp, including a December 2021 interview where he made headlines for noting that “job resignations” are a sign that many people are “putting their mental health and happiness first.”
But on Saturday, the Daily Beast reported that according to some staffers, Harry’s duties with the company were nebulous, and one former employee told the outlet that the prince’s day-to-day responsibilities included “zero things.” The report came amid tumultuous times for the company, which recently laid off approximately 16% of its workforce after, according to two of the outlet’s sources, the company failed to meet last year’s revenue projections. Moreover, the company faced a “revolt” by the coaches who are contractors after modifying their pay. (BetterUp did not immediately respond to a request for comment.)
Some staffers added that Harry’s star power did help close a few deals and increase the company’s reach in Europe, but another said that his presence in the tabloids might have been more trouble than it was worth. “Every article mentions his role at BetterUp, then goes on to roast [him and Meghan Markle],” a recent employee told the outlet. “The juice isn’t worth the squeeze.”
Though the Daily Beast pointed out that the company was most recently valued at $4.7 billion, the trouble at BetterUp, which still lists Harry as chief impact officer on its website, is another sign that Meghan and Harry’s professional challenges have stemmed at least partly from a widespread market correction in the tech industry. The couple’s initial move to the US coincided with the advent of stay-at-home orders that left people around the world newly dependent on technology for both work and leisure. Major tech companies saw their valuations skyrocket, web-based start-ups were making big expansions, and media companies were upping their spending on content, with companies like Facebook making bets on a permanent reorientation toward digital living.
Ultimately, that financial energy seemed to be illusory, and the last few years have seen major layoffs across the tech sector. The readjustment has led to changes in strategy at the companies Meghan and Harry have worked with. In May 2022, Netflix canceled one Archewell Productions series after a disappointing earnings report led to the company’s stock plummeting. In June 2023, Spotify canceled Meghan’s podcast Archetypes, just ten days after it announced that it was retooling its entire podcast strategy.
Last week, one Hollywood insider told People that “the royal element and, in some ways, the drama around them inflated the price, deals and expectations.” Now, amid a larger economic reckoning for the tech sector, Harry and Meghan might have another opportunity to prove what they are worth.
When I think of royal style, the first things that come to mind are tiaras, precious jewels, and other opulent accessories. But the reality is that queens and princesses often wear more affordable, relatable pieces. Case in point? Queen Letizia’s newest outfit.
Photographed in Mallorca, where she visits every summer, Queen Letizia wore a beautiful Desigual x Stella Jean printed dress along with Magrit espadrilles. Other fans of the summer shoe style include Meghan Markle and Kate Middleton, who similarly pair them with floaty midi and maxi dresses when traveling. Scroll down to see Queen Letizia’s newest outfit and shop espadrilles under $200 for yourself—no vacation necessary.
Meghan Markle kicked off her 42nd birthday celebrations early.
The Duchess of Sussex celebrated her birthday on Friday, but joined in with the “Barbie” craze earlier this week.
The former “Suits” star was said to have gone to see the flick at a Santa Barbara theatre with friend Portia de Rossi and a couple of other girlfriends, Page Six reported.
Prince Harry reportedly stayed home in Montecito, California.
Markle allegedly kept the celebrations going as she joined friends at the San Ysidro Ranch hotel on Monday night, with her posing for photos and videos with a group having a bachelorette party.
An onlooker told the publication, “Meghan went over to wish the bride good luck.”
Page Six added that Meghan and Harry celebrated her actual birthday on Friday at home with their kids Archie, 4, and Lilibet, 2.
The pair were all smiles as they were spotted leaving celeb hotspot Tre Lune — a favourite with the likes of Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker, with the latter visiting the restaurant on the same evening as the Sussexes — in pictures obtained by the Daily Mail.
Harry and Meghan were joined by their friend Matt Cohen for the Montecito outing.
On Thursday, Meghan Markle and Prince Harrywere spotted at a restaurant near their home in Montecito. The night before Meghan’s 42nd birthday, the couple was joined at local Italian joint Tre Lune by their friend Matt Cohen, a tech executive and husband of Meghan’s longtime friend Heather Dorak. Meghan was photographed wearing a strapless dress from the brand Posse, while Harry wore a blue button up and khaki pants.
The outing came one day after the couple announced the 26 winners of $2 million in grants awarded by the Responsible Technology Youth Power Fund, which they helped found. In a video, the fund shared snippets of Meghan and Harry’s conversations with some of the winners, where they discussed the importance of policy to improve the internet and social media.
It’s now been more than three years since Meghan and Harry moved to a $14.5 million property in the small Santa Barbara community where they count Oprah Winfrey as one of their neighbors. A family insider told People that Meghan and Harry are enjoying their lives in California. “They seemed really happy together. Harry seems to be embracing this life he has with Meghan and knows it’s a very different one than he had before, of course,” said the insider. “Meghan does seem to run the household and make the decisions, but it’s not that he bends for her. It’s just a dynamic that works for them, and maybe one that he needs after everything he’s been through.”
A friend told the magazine that the couple prefers their celebrations for major events to be low-key. “They’re not into a big scene,” the source said. They prefer smaller group hangouts at home, karaoke—that sort of thing.” Sources in the town added that they are frequently spotted at the beach and chatting with other parents during school drop off.
It’s been nearly eight months since Prince Harry and Meghan Markle topped the Netflix charts with their documentary Harry & Meghan, and since then, there have been signs that things haven’t been going so smoothly for their foray into Hollywood productions. The most high-profile challenge has been the end of their deal with Spotify after only one season of Meghan’s podcast Archetypes.
But according to a royal insider who spoke to People, the couple are still finding their footing three years after leaving the UK because royal life “wasn’t a world they wanted for their family.” The formation of Archewell Productions and the deals with Netflix and Spotify came later. “There wasn’t necessarily a five-year plan,” the insider added. “Everything else flows from that, for whatever time period it takes.”
A source close to the couple told People that their Hollywood plans haven’t ended and there are “plenty of things that are in different phases” at Archewell Productions. “Very few other production companies are measured by what’s actually hit the airwaves,” the source added.
A Hollywood insider told the magazine that expectations for royal drama might have “inflated the price, deals, and expectations” for their studio. That was reflected in conversation about the pair’s future as early as January 2020, two weeks after announcing their exit, when Netflix CEO Ted Sarandossaid he would be interested in working with them. He added, “Who wouldn’t be interested?”
Contrary to podcaster and Spotify executive Bill Simmons’comments that the couple are “grifters,” a person close to the Spotify deal told the magazine that “things moved slowly on both sides,” and that contributed to a lack of output. “They were given no formal lay of the land to kick things off,” the source added, “so they were already on unsteady footing even before the ink was dry.”
On Wednesday, Harry and Meghan made a rare appearance to help promote the Responsible Youth Technology Fund, an Archewell Foundation venture that awarded $2 million to youth-led initiatives focusing on internet safety. Ever since Harry released his memoir Spare earlier this year, the couple has scaled back on public engagements and put their attention on supporting charitable ventures. Their next planned events are a trip to Germany for the Dusseldorf Invictus Games in early September.
The Beckhams and the Sussexes’ friendship has reportedly fizzled out.
According to the Mail on Sunday, David Beckham was “absolutely bloody furious” after it was reportedly suggested that the Beckhams had leaked stories about Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
A source who is said to be close to the Beckhams told the paper, “David and Victoria went to Meghan and Harry’s wedding and were very supportive when Meghan arrived in the U.K.”
The accusations were said to have come up during a tense phone call.
The source said, “Any making up now is so unlikely.”
The couples first became pally because Izzy May — who is David Beckham’s communications director — was friends with Markus Anderson; chief membership officer for Soho House.
Anderson was said to have helped arrange Harry and Meghan’s secret dates at the private members social club.
The Duchess of Sussex is now thought to have formed a friendship with cosmetics pioneer Victoria Jackson.
An insider in Montecito, California — where Harry and Meghan live near neighbour Jackson — said: “Victoria is a dynamic force. She’s someone who built a business but has also overcome adversity in her private life. She and Meghan bond on many levels. They are extremely close, they adore each other.”
The journey for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle has been filled with ups and downs as they navigate the complexities of their new lives in California. Since stepping down from their senior royal duties, Harry and Meghan have faced a whirlwind of challenges in their pursuit of a more independent life. Negative press and conflicts with the royal family have added to the strain they’ve encountered. However, the couple decided to share their family drama in Harry’s explosive memoir, Spare, and even ventured into the realm of entertainment with a top-10 Netflix series. Despite the hurdles, Harry and Meghan managed to reach a ceasefire, but the road ahead remains uncertain. Amidst trials and challenges, the couple seeks to find peace while pursuing individual paths.
Are Prince Harry and Meghan Markle ‘taking time apart’?
According to a report in Radar Online, seeking solace and a sense of belonging, Harry is planning a solo trip to Africa, a continent he considers his “second home.” As per the report, a source revealed that this journey will be an opportunity for Harry to reconnect with himself and find clarity amid the chaos. On the other hand, the report mentioned that Meghan has embarked on a path to establish her own brand and professional ventures. With a determined super-agent by her side, the Duchess of Sussex aims to create her own legacy and thrive in the world of business. This newfound ambition marks a significant turning point in Meghan’s career.
Harry and Meghan balancing lavish lifestyle and security costs
For the unversed, the Sussexes’ shift to California has come with its fair share of financial pressures. Their luxurious $14 million mansion and substantial security costs have added to the strain on their resources. The recent Spotify deal failure, coupled with other challenges, has intensified the need to manage their financial responsibilities. Meanwhile, amidst the whirlwind of emotions and financial obligations, the couple is exploring a period of separation. The anticipated time apart on different continents may provide the necessary space for both Harry and Meghan to reflect, grow, and find the clarity they seek. While the road ahead may be uncertain, there’s hope that Harry and Meghan will emerge stronger and more self-aware after this time of self-discovery. As the renegade royal couple continues to chart their unique path, the world watches with anticipation, wishing them both peace and success on their respective journeys.
Only yesterday the news broke thatMeghan Markle andPrince Harry’sself-titled docu-series which broke the internet when it first came out on Netflix, has been nominated at the prestigious Hollywood Critics Awards. Now according to a Royal family insider,Kate Middletonmight be on her last straw.
Is Kate Middleton ready to ‘get her hands dirty’?
According to a report in Closer magazine, an insider that spoke with them has hinted that the Princess of Wales has had enough of the Sussex Duchess laying allegations against the British Royal family. Kate is allegedly “fiercely protective” of her family according to the insider, and she is “not afraid to fight fire with fire, having already broken the golden royal rule of “Never complain, never explain.”
The insider told the publication that Markle needs to be more careful about what she reveals next about the couple choosing to move to California leaving behind the Royal family and the UK.
The source also claimed that, “Kate won’t hesitate to keep sticking up for the royals as well as herself.” The insider continued, “She’s shown an incredible amount of tolerance and bitten her lip but even she can only be pushed so far.”
They added that this reaction from Middleton should be seen as a “clear message for Meghan to back off and watch what she says about Kate moving forward.”
The source told the publication that the “gloves are off” and Middleton is “ready to fight fire with fire.” “The bottom line here is,” said the Royal family source, further adding, “Kate isn’t afraid to take the gloves off and play dirty if she has to. It’s about self-preservation and not being walked all over.”
Since the massive success of the couple’s docu-series titled, Meghan and Harry, are reportedly in talks with several possible project avenues. The 6 part series had pulled in more than 2 million viewers on its premiere day, which is significantly higher than the numbers The Crown pulled for its latest season premiere.
Meanwhile, Meghan Markle and Prince Harry broke away from the British Royal family in 2020. Allegedly, this was because the amount of scrutiny towards Megan had reached a point where her mother claimed in the docu-series that the Duchess was having “suicidal thoughts.” The last time Markle and Middleton were seen together was during Queen Elizabeth’s funeral.
I’ll be the first to admit that I’m guilty of buying things for the sheer joy of it, but when it comes to sunglasses, I always think about practicality first. Not only do they shield your eyes from harmful UV rays, but they’re one of the few items you can wear every single day without anyone noticing. If you’re in the market for a new pair, why not take some pointers from celebrities like Meghan Markle and Priyanka Chopra Jonas?
No one doubts Markle’s ability to make things sell out, but luckily for us, one of her favorite accessories is still in stock: Le Specs Air Heart 51mm Sunglasses ($55). She’s worn them multiple times with outfits ranging from a vintage coat to a breezy summer dress. Fellow royal Kate Middleton, however, is partial to Ray-Ban Classic Wayfarer 54mm Sunglasses ($108), which are a tried-and-true classic. Scroll down to shop celebrities’ favorite sunglasses.
A joint statement from the Duke and Duchess of Sussex‘s production company Archewell Audio and Spotify said: “Spotify and Archewell Audio have mutually agreed to part ways and are proud of the series we made together.”
The royal couple signed the lucrative, $20-million deal with the streaming giant in late 2020, just months after stepping down as working senior members of the British Royal Family and relocating from the U.K. to California.
The first episode of the Archetypes podcast, hosted by Markle, aired in August 2022 and after two days was the number-one podcast in seven international markets, including Canada, the U.S. and the U.K.
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Throughout the 12-series first season, the Duchess spoke with different high-profile guests, exploring the stereotypes that have held women back. Guests included Paris Hilton, Mindy Kaling, Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, Trevor Noah and Serena Williams, among others.
But despite Archetypes winning the top podcast at the People’s Choice Award in L.A. just six months ago, it has not been renewed for a second series.
“I loved digging my hands into the process, sitting up late at night in bed, working on the writing and creative. And I loved digging deep into meaningful conversation with my diverse and inspiring guests, laughing and learning with them, and with each of you listening,” Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, said at the time.
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As of now, it’s unclear why the podcast will not go ahead with a second season on Spotify, but this likely wasn’t the plan from the start — when the deal was first signed it was supposed to be a multi-year partnership.
Both Spotify and the Duke and Duchess have faced their share of troubles in recent months.
Six months ago, Spotify announced that it would cut six per cent of its global workforce, approximately 600 jobs, and last week it announced another 200 positions would be eliminated.
Meanwhile, Prince Harry has been in court recently, battling it out with the publisher of the Daily Mirror, whom he has accused of using extreme, often illegal practices to obtain scoops on his personal life.
Prince Harry takes the stand in tabloid trial
Harry has accused Mirror Group Newspaper of invading his privacy on an “industrial scale,” including hacking his phone to illegally listen to his voicemails. In court last week, he told the courtroom he’s “experienced hostility from the press since I was born.”
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Reaction to the end of the partnership was decidedly mixed on social media.
Some celebrated the “phenomenal” podcast and said that waiting for each episode was like “waiting for Santa.”
Meghan created a phenomenal podcast with Archetypes. Gave space to women to freely talk about topics that affect us on a daily basis and I’m sure she will continue to connect us with more educational conversations on a different platform 🙌🏾 pic.twitter.com/aKwel4plCx
— Cₕᵢₗdₗₑₛₛ wₒₘₑₙ gₒₜ y’ₐₗₗ ₘₐd😎 (@Blu_Alexia_) June 16, 2023
Thank you, Meghan, for 12 brilliant episodes of #Archetypes. Every Tuesday felt like waiting for Santa. I’m looking forward to what comes next. pic.twitter.com/VcmuVfamK3
Others, however, weren’t so generous and called the podcast “not very interesting” and “self-serving.”
Yes I agree. Pure spin to soften the blow of the fact that #Archetypes was not very interesting. Megs used #Archtypes to feed her ego. She couldn’t even interview her guests- just talked about herself. Don’t forget she tried to copyright the name Archetypes too & it was declined
What happens with the podcast remains up in the air at this point, but a representative from WME, the talent agency that the Duchess of Sussex signed with earlier this year, gave fans hope that Archetypes will pop up elsewhere in the future.
“The team behind Archetypes remain proud of the podcast they created at Spotify. Meghan is continuing to develop more content for the Archetypes audience on another platform,” the spokesperson told the Wall Street Journal.
Royal Roundup: Harry & Meghan’s latest legal troubles
Two and a half years after Meghan Markle and Prince Harry announced an exclusive podcast deal with Spotify, the couple’s team at Archewell Audio has announced that the partnership has come to an end. The news comes after TheWall Street Journal reported that Spotify would not renew Meghan’s interview series, Archetypes, which aired its first season from August to November 2022, for a second season.
“Spotify and Archewell Audio have mutually agreed to part ways and are proud of the series we made together,” read a joint statement from Archewell and Spotify. The series premiered at number one on the platform and ultimately went on to win a People’s Choice Award for pop podcast of 2022. Markle also won a Gracie Award for top entertainment podcast host. The news comes as layoffs have impacted Gimlet, the Spotify studio that had partnered with Archewell to produce the program. Spotify announced about 200 layoffs earlier this month as part of its plan to shift its podcast strategy. Sources told Variety that the end of the partnership was not related to Spotify’s restructuring.
In December 2020, Meghan and Harry announced that they had inked a deal with Spotify, and later that month they released a holiday-themed episode, which included cameos from famous names Naomi Osaka, Sir Elton John, Tyler Perry, and James Corden. Further content didn’t come for a year and a half, and ultimately the partnership led to 13 podcast episodes. The deal is said to have been worth roughly $20 million, but people familiar with the matter told the Journal that the couple did not reach the productivity benchmarks that would lead to the full payout.
In a statement to the newspaper, a representative for Markle said that the duchess is still planning to develop more audio content. “The team behind Archetypes remain proud of the podcast they created at Spotify,” it read. “Meghan is continuing to develop more content for the Archetypes audience on another platform.” The Archewell head of audio, Rebecca Sananès, moved on from the organization last December, and she was replaced by Sarina Regan, an alum of Cadence13 and SiriusXM.
The end of the Spotify partnership winds down one of the couple’s earliest post-royal businesses, a portfolio that has seen them partner with large media companies eager to work with the (relatively) forthcoming prince and his Hollywood-veteran wife. Earlier this year, Harry’s memoir, Spare, broke records when it went on sale, moving upwards of 1.43 million copies on its first day. The couple reportedly signed a four-book deal with Penguin Random House in 2021, which has led to speculation that they might be planning a leadership book or another memoir.
Since announcing the formation of Archewell Productions and a deal with Netflix in September 2020, Meghan and Harry have coproduced two documentary series. After the premiere of Harry & Meghan in December 2022, the streamer announced that it broke documentary viewership records with 81.55 million hours viewed, and their second series, Live to Lead, aired later that month. An animated series coproduced by Markle and David Furnish was canceled last spring, before it went to air.
Archewell currently has one more show in the pipeline with Netflix. Heart of Invictus, a docuseries about the athletic event for wounded veterans that Harry founded in 2014, is reportedly set to premiere this summer, but a date has not been announced.
While Prince Harry was attending the coronation of King Charles III last month, Meghan Markle and their two children, Archie and Lilibet, stayed behind at their home in Montecito. They reportedly planned a “low-key” celebration for Archie’s fourth birthday on May 6, and thanks to one nearby business owner, we now know the details of a memorable present from the weekend.
According to People, the owners of Mad Dogs & Englishmen Bike Shop, a bike shop in town, hand-delivered a bike as a surprise gift for the young prince. Owner Jennifer Blevins told the magazine that her partner Martin is from England and decided it would be a nice gesture to celebrate the day, which just so happened to also be the day of the coronation.
“He went and he got one of our little Specialized kids’ bikes—they’re really nice little bikes—and he’s like, ‘This one’s perfect, it’s got training wheels,’” she said. “And so he went and got some birthday balloons, and he got some flowers for Meghan and a birthday card, and he said, ‘Okay, I’m gonna bike over and take it to their house.’” She added that the couple’s security guards ran a quick background check and then accepted the bike.
It wasn’t until a few weeks later that the Blevins learned the fate of the gift. On Instagram, they posted a thank-you note they received from Harrison Colcord, an employee of the couple, on stationery reading “The Office of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.”
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“On behalf of Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, please accept their sincere thanks for the thoughtful gift you sent to Prince Archie for his fourth birthday,” the note read. “The bike has brought much joy, and is most appreciated by the family. They asked that I convey their gratitude at the lovely surprise.”
Meghan and Harry have lived in Montecito, a low-key Santa Barbara community where they have counted Oprah, Ariana Grande, Ellen Degeneres, and Rob Lowe among their neighbors, since July 2020. It’s about 80 miles away from Los Angeles and reportedly has a reputation for respecting its famous residents’ privacy.
This week, Prince Harry took his fight against the British tabloid media to the witness stand, and sources have told Vanity Fair that the royal family isn’t too optimistic about his chances for success. Despite that, his uncle, Charles Spencer, is supporting him publicly in the face of attacks from a columnist at the Daily Mail, who suggested that Harry’s wife, Meghan Markle, didn’t attend the trial due to the references of his ex-girlfriend.
After Harry’s testimony on the stand on Wednesday, the Mail’s Amanda Platell tweeted an old picture of Harry with his ex-girlfriend Chelsy Davy, and a bit of classic inane tabloid speculation. “Is Harry still obsessed with former love Chelsy Davy?” she wrote. “Harry mentions her 118 times in court evidence, Meghan just five times. No wonder Meg’s didn’t show up!”
Plenty of other Twitter users pointed out that the suit is about stories that ran from 1996 to 2010, a period that includes Harry’s six-year relationship with Davy, who now has one child with her husband Sam Cutmore-Scott and runs two businesses in South Africa. Harry didn’t meet Meghan until 2016, a period not at issue in the lawsuit.
Pathetic, @amandajplatell – you have no shame, and even less credibility. Last time I heard from you, you were guilty of libelling me, as your employer at @DailyMailUK agreed. Now you’re put up (by them?) to misrepresent significant legal evidence as if it was something trivial. https://t.co/rFPLEcDtk9
Earl Spencer, on the other hand, didn’t waste time clarifying the facts and instead went in for a kill shot. “Pathetic, @amandajplatell—you have no shame, and even less credibility,” he wrote. “Last time I heard from you, you were guilty of libelling me, as your employer at @DailyMailUK agreed. Now you’re put up (by them?) to misrepresent significant legal evidence as if it was something trivial.”
By mentioning “libel,” Spencer seems to be referencing a 2018 case in which Associated Newspapers, the parent company of the Daily Mail, was forced to pay undisclosed damages after a January 2017 “Platell’s People” column claimed that Charles had refused accommodation for Diana after her divorce from now King Charles III.
For two days, Prince Harry was in the witness box at London’s High Court in service of a civil suit that includes over 100 people against Mirror Group Newspapers, the owner of the DailyMirror, the Sunday Mirror, and the Sunday People. It was an historic occasion—the last senior royal to testify at the court was in 1891, and the future King Edward VII was done after about 20 minutes—so those of us following updates from the journalists inside the courtroom might have been surprised that Harry’s testimony centered largely on the distant past. He brought up stories published while his mother Princess Diana was still alive, his school days at Eton in the late 1990s and early 2000s, and his relationship with Chelsy Davy, his on-and-off girlfriend from 2004 to 2010. It feels like ancient history, and even the idea of leaving a voicemail seems archaic in 2023, but the wounds of the alleged phone hacking, which became a public concern in 2011, are still raw. Ultimately, Harry’s testimony proved how many unanswered questions remain about the controversial era in journalism.
Despite sticking to the past, Harry was clearly determined to make a point when he could. During cross-examination by Andrew Green KC (King’s Counsel), the lawyer representing MGN, Harry made a comment that both illustrated his fundamental problem with the tabloid press and gave a subtle homage to his purpose in taking the stand. In response to a question about teenage drug use and whether reporting on it had a legitimate purpose, Harry said, “There’s a difference between public interest and what interests the public.”
Whether or not Harry knew it, he was almost directly quoting the 2012 Leveson Report, the results of an inquiry led by Sir Brian Leveson into the phone hacking scandal that shuttered the Murdoch-owned tabloid News of the World and brought global attention to the practices of the British tabloid press. After admissions from a private investigator and royal editor that voicemail hacking had occurred at the NoTW, Leveson was tasked with investigating the wider press culture in the UK. Over the course of over a year, Leveson heard from hundreds of owners, editors, and journalists from across the industry about their practices, including those from Mirror Newspaper Group, who discussed the period in question at the current trial.
Though Leveson recommended vast changes in the way that the UK’s press is regulated, no other organization admitted to using unlawful methods of gathering information, and ultimately few others faced consequences. Denials even came from big names like Piers Morgan, who wrote that he had heard about the practice, which he called a “little trick,” in his 2005 memoir The Insider. Morgan, the editor of the DailyMirror from 1995 to 2004, part of the period covered by Harry’s claims in this suit, has denied vigorously that he knew of anyone using the tactic at his paper. At the beginning of the trial last month, MGN admitted that one story from Sunday People did use illegal methods to gain information about Harry’s activities at a nightclub, but denied any other unlawful acts.
So Harry’s testimony served to highlight the gap between those denials and the content of a handful of articles that ran in the DailyMirror, the Sunday Mirror, and the Sunday People, which his lawyers allege contain details which only could have been acquired using illegal methods, including phone hacking. Originally Harry’s lawyers submitted 148 different articles for which they alleged illegal methods must have been used, but at the request of Judge Timothy Fancourt, they narrowed it down to 33, which were addressed in Harry’s lengthy witness statement and his cross-examination.
Even those sympathetic to his plight might worry that Harry didn’t necessarily have solid evidence that a certain quote or detail did come from a specific voicemail. What Harry did have, however, were receipts. Throughout the last month, various invoices for the services of private investigators were entered into evidence, and in Harry’s witness statement and testimony, he connected them to specific dates and stories. He admitted that he didn’t know how each journalist acquired their information, but spoke about the details he believes he told no one other than a handful of people whose voicemails might have been hacked.
To understand why Harry’s receipts are so important, it might be helpful to look back to a cinema classic for a bit of context: Spice World (1997). Though the film follows the Spice Girls on their way to a major concert at Royal Albert Hall, there is a satirical subplot about Kevin McMaxford, a newspaper editor with a vendetta against the group played by Barry Humphries, and the private investigator he hires to dig up dirt. One team of journalists in the film, led by Alan Cumming, sticks to above-board if intrusive practices, like following the pop stars after they board a speedboat, but McMaxford’s spook Damien, played by a positively creepy Richard O’Brien, excels at spy-like and questionably legal practices, even pretending to be a doctor in a delivery room.
It’s telling that the general playbook of British tabloid culture was so established by the late 1990s that a parody could be expected to translate in a children’s movie. Still, the relationship between McMaxford and his investigator is relevant to the point Harry is trying to elucidate. In his quest for a negative scoop, McMaxford hires Damien for his expertise without detailing the methods he should use. As a proof of concept, Damien provides photos of the editor sniffing his socks and picking his nose earlier that day. Rewatching the film as an adult, I feel confident the investigator didn’t specifically invoice for “illegal services,” and I suppose some of the things he did were in fact legal. Still, how much leeway do we give McMaxford for not explicitly asking his investigator to break the law when we know the intent was to destroy the Spice Girls?
After Harry finished his testimony on Wednesday morning and the court broke for lunch, Jane Kerr, the former royal editor of the Mirror, took the stand. According to the BBC, she discussed her use of private investigators during her years covering the royals, and the instructions she would give them to acquire phone numbers or other information in a back and forth with Harry’s lawyer David Sherborne:
“I wouldn’t have expected them to do anything illegal.”
Prince Harry’s lawyer fires back: “Did you close your eyes and ears?”
“They were people who provided you with stories,” she responds. She did not know how they obtained information, she says.
“You didn’t care,” Prince Harry’s lawyer says.
“I assumed they would do what I would do,” Kerr says, accepting that she had a duty to work within the law.
Harry spent his own testimony discussing the individual stories, but Sherborne’s line of questioning makes it clear that the case is attacking a culture so broadly accepted that it has been satirized for decades. A decade ago, the government declined to consider many of the suggestions that Leveson made in his 2012 report and even canceled a planned sequel inquiry in 2018 that was supposed to probe the relationship between the press and the police, and that inaction has left Harry without an obvious remedy, even as the tabloid went on to intensify their vitriol against him and his wife, Meghan Markle. Ultimately, this case is an early attempt at a solution for the prince and the many other victims of alleged phone hacking, and here, Harry is meant to be just one representative plaintiff who have signed on to Sherborne’s case, including celebrities like former soccer player Ian Wright and the estate of George Michael.
On Tuesday, Prince Harry is expected to become the first senior royal to testify in court in more than a century, but when the high-profile trial regarding his suit against Mirror Group Newspapers continued on Monday morning, the prince wasn’t in the courtroom. According to the New York Post, Judge Timothy Fancourt had instructed him to appear. “I’m a little surprised,” the judge said.
Harry’s lawyer David Sherborne told the High Court that his client had flown from the US on Sunday night, and was unable to make it to court. “His travel arrangements are such and his security arrangements are such that it is a little bit tricky,” he added, per Reuters.
The suit against the newspaper group, which owns the the Daily Mirror, Sunday Mirror, and Sunday People, is one of multiple cases that the prince is pursuing against publishers over allegations of illegal information gathering. Harry has alleged that 140 articles published by the three newspapers between 1996 and 2010 were obtained using illegal information-gathering tactics, and 33 of those articles were selected for examination in the case. The prince is one of a handful of plaintiffs who will be heard over the course of the trial.
Despite Harry’s absence on Monday, Sherborne laid out some of the issues we can expect Harry to speak to during his testimony, including the impact certain stories in the news group’s titles had on his relationships and mental health. The lawyer mentioned the impact that press coverage had on his relationship with his ex-girlfriend Chelsy Davy. “It was as if they were never alone,” Sherborne said, pointing to an April 2005 story in the People detailing the prince’s phone calls to Davy. “The ups and downs and ins and outs of their relationship, the beginning, the break-ups, and finally the split between them were all revealed and picked apart by the three Mirror Group titles.”
Sherborne noted that roughly 2,500 stories about Harry had run in MGN titles during the period his allegations cover. “Nothing was sacrosanct or out of bounds, and there was no protection from these unlawful information-gathering methods,” he added, pointing to stories about Princess Diana. “It is the use of these methods by a national media group that has brought him here, not some vendetta against the press generally.”
A lawyer representing MGN, Andrew Green, replied that Harry’s allegations regarding voicemail messages is speculation without evidence. At the start of the trial last month, MGN apologized for one specific time the People had illegally sought information about Harry, but denied that there was evidence to suspect the practice was widespread.
Harry’s travel for the trial marks his third trip to the UK so far this year, and he quickly returned home after KingCharles’s coronation last month so he could celebrate his son Archie’s fourth birthday. Lilibet, the daughter Harry shares with wife, Meghan Markle, celebrated her second birthday on Sunday, June 4.
