Much has been made of the announcement that Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, have parted ways with Spotify, with whom they previously signed a lucrative content creation deal. The couple had only produced one podcast for the platform, and it’s becoming clear that this just wasn’t good enough for Spotify considering the millions they had poured into this highly publicized deal. Bill Simmons certainly couldn’t keep his mouth shut, referring to the couple as “gribbers.” Of course, that made the British press, who professionally make disproportionate money targeting the Sussexes, very happy. I have to admit I was a bit taken aback by the lack of output with Spotify. Talk about easy money. On the other hand, maybe that’s part of the problem here, too. This couple isn’t short of opportunities, but since leaving their lives as active members of the British royal family, they seem unsure of their direction. What are they actually trying to do?
Whether they like it or not, whether they genuinely embrace the label or try to go against it, Harry and Meghan are celebrities. To be fair, that’s the case with all major British royals, and they’ve used the glamor of “tradition” to dismiss allegations that they prominently use the press for their own self-promotion. It’s an odd kind of fame to live with, and one I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy because it offers few of the true benefits of fame, but all the pitfalls and a good dose of imperialistic bullshit. The Sussexes aren’t entirely free of those constraints: they have their titles, they’re still tied to the Windsors and many of their desires as public figures are still rooted in expectations of royal duty. Still, they broke away from this system for a reason. They wanted the kind of freedom that comes with old-school fame: the openness of choice in terms of projects and media access, the lack of obligation to adhere to outdated notions of “protocol,” and of course the money.
The last detail is often taken as a sign of their insatiable greed. Oh look at how they try to make a living with their immense privileges. Me, a tabloid hack making six figures by writing columns slandering trans people and providing PR to the Tories, would never dig that deep. Cute. But hey, wouldn’t you use every door that opens to you as efficiently as possible? If I were Meghan, I’d say yes to everything: the Netflix deal, the Spotify deal, the book offers, public speaking and panel appearances. We would all do that. And none of this is new for this couple, least of all for Meghan, who before Harry made her living as an actress, blogger and philanthropist. She can navigate that system, but now, as a couple and as a brand called Team Sussex, there are far more caveats to it. I’m not sure if they know what they want or how to get it.
Public service is at the heart of their agenda, much like it was when they were full-time royalty (mainly because it’s the only way the monarchy can continue to pretend to contribute to the planet in exchange for that taxpayers fund their helicopters and toilets). Seat change and legal fees.) Harry’s own concerns are numerous, with his most notable focus being on the Invictus Games and his interest in working with veterans. Meghan was involved in numerous charities well before her marriage, from speaking at the UN to serving as a freshwater ambassador in Africa to raising awareness of the stigma of menstruation in India. They know their stuff and would be sought-after supporters for any charity. But you can’t make a living as a philanthropist. That’s what you do when you’ve already bled the planet dry with capitalist fury and have more money than you’re ever going to spend. It takes literally billions to do this full-time, and you don’t get that kind of money the old-fashioned way. Either you inherit it, or you’re an evil bastard, or both (Hello, the Sackler family.)
Harry and Meghan are not poor. By far not. But they’re not rich on Bezos. Media like the Spotify deal are designed to support these efforts, but also act as their own advertising platform. Meghan’s podcast for Spotify, Archetypes, was her attempt to bridge this gap by shedding light on the ways in which women are unfairly stereotyped and how these are being attempted to be overcome. The podcast was fine, not my usual listen, but skillfully executed and with an enviable list of celebrity guests. Meghan knows how to stage herself in front of the microphone and is always appealing. My main problem with Archetypes was the lack of thematic context. I could have delved much deeper into these sensitive issues than I felt Meghan’s team was willing to go. She and Harry are not radical figures and in no way wish to deviate from the mainstream.
The podcast also shed light on a major dilemma for the couple. To be celebrities, they are expected to give the world something of themselves, and for that very reason, they turned down the stifling demands of royalty. Of course nobody has the right to do so. Everyone has a choice to be as public or private as they want, and many of the smartest celebrities navigate this ecosystem without disclosing anything they don’t want to reveal (that’s why Beyoncé is so excellent at what she does). Meghan is under no obligation to tell the truth. It’s just a shame that a podcast that’s marketed for its candidness seems so hesitant. There are moments in interviews when you can feel a really good conversation starting before Meghan backs down.
And that’s a big issue here. What traditional celebrities want from the Sussexes, and what they intend to heavily monetize by doing so, is largely taboo. Her Netflix documentary had moments of candidness, but still resisted the easy route. Harry’s memoirs went deeper and became a major bestseller, but that cannot be repeated over and over again. Everyone wants this couple to basically talk to the royal family night after night, like a bad stand-up gig or one of the monarchy’s many hangers-on whose full-time jobs come across as royal “comments.” While that’s not a finite pool of #content, it’s clearly not what the Sussexes want. And why should they? That sounds like shit!
So how do you sell yourself as a brand when major appeal to potential buyers is off the table? If I were a Sussexer, I would focus my efforts on behind-the-scenes business, producing and the like, and giving public speaking as a sideline. Stick to your strengths and take the time to explore this new world you live in. Work with agents and creatives to find your niche. Most of us would die for these opportunities, but they take a lot of work to reach their full potential. Being famous doesn’t necessarily mean you’re good at being a celebrity, and I think the Sussexes still have a long way to go to discover who they really are, regardless of the obligations and safety net of the Crown .
Header Image Source: Mike Coppola via Getty Images for the 2022 Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Ripple of Hope Gala
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