The Duchess of Sussex was pictured thoughtful on Friday, a day after her $20 million deal with Spotify ended.
Meghan Markle, 41, was spotted near her home in Montecito, apparently engaged in an intense conversation. She then took off her earphones but continued to check her phone as she walked on.
Wearing casual black skinny jeans, ballet flats and a striped sweater, she carried a $5,400 Fendi Peekaboo ISeeU bag.
Her husband and their two children – Archie, four, and two-year-old Lilibet – were not seen.
The decision not to launch a second season of the 13-episode podcast Archetypes – which debuted at number one on Spotify – was seen by some as an admission of failure.
Meghan Markle: Dressed casually in black skinny jeans, ballet flats and a striped sweater
Spotify and the Sussexes’ audio production company, Archewell Audio, released a joint statement, saying they “by mutual consent have decided to go their separate ways and are proud of the series we’ve made together.”
But Bill Simmons, Spotify’s head of podcast innovation and monetization, condemned the pair on Friday in an episode of his own podcast.
“These damn scammers.” “This is the podcast we should have started with them,” he said.
“One night I have to get drunk and tell the story of the Zoom I had with Harry to help him with a podcast idea.” It’s one of my best stories.’
Simmons, a sportswriter, founded the sports and pop culture website and podcast network The Ringer and sold it to Spotify for $200 million in 2020.
He then moved to Spotify and has long been critical of the couple.
Last January he criticized Prince Harry, saying it was “embarrassing” to be associated with the same company.
She seemed to be having an intense discussion while walking with wireless headphones
Meghan was pictured strolling to a hair appointment in Old Town Santa Barbara
Meghan looked dejected as she stood next to what may have been security personnel
Meghan carried a $5,400 Fendi Peekaboo ISeeU bag as she walked near her home
The 41-year-old was apparently spotted talking intensely while walking
The luxurious Fendi Peekaboo ISeeU bag that Meghan carried is worth $5,400
After taking out her headphones, Meghan continued to look at her phone as she walked
The photos come amid rumors that Meghan may soon be trying to bring back her wellness and lifestyle blog, The Tig
The day before she was photographed, Spotify and the Sussexes’ audio production company Archewell Audio released a joint statement, saying they had “mutually agreed to go their separate ways”.
Meghan and Harry’s sprawling Tuscan-style estate in Montecito, which was purchased in June 2020 for $14.7 million, is believed to be encumbered with a substantial mortgage (pictured alongside).
Meghan carried a $5,400 Fendi Peekaboo ISeeU bag and a small paper bag
Here, Meghan was seen removing her sweater while standing next to a black car
“Shoot that guy in the air,” he said, according to sports website The Big Lead.
“I’m so sick of this guy.” What does he bring with him? He just whines about shit and keeps giving interviews.
“Who gives shit?” Who cares about your life?
“You weren’t even the favorite son. “You live in crappy Montecito and you only sell documentaries and podcasts and no one cares what you have to say about anything unless you’re talking about the royal family and just complaining about them.”
Spotify recently laid off staff and reduced big-name talent to focus more on the creator economy.
Losing the Spotify contract will be a major blow to the Sussexes’ finances.
Her sprawling Tuscan-style estate in Montecito, purchased in June 2020 for $14.7 million, is believed to be carrying a substantial mortgage.
Annual property taxes alone cost $144,427, plus labor and maintenance costs.
A talent agency Meghan recently signed, WME, told the Wall Street Journal that she still hopes to find new outlets for her work
Meghan Markle without makeup looks dejected as she heads towards the black car near her home
Although Harry and her children are not present, it is believed that this man may be a security guard
Bill Simmons (left), who sold his podcast and sports journalism company The Ringer to Spotify for $200 million in 2020, is now Spotify’s head of podcast innovation. On Friday he described the Duke and Duchess of Sussex (right) as “fucking scammers” after they parted ways with the company
Meghan Markle’s Spotify podcast Archetypes will not be renewed for a second season
It is reported that the couple will stop making documentaries and tell-all books as they have “nothing left to say”.
But talent agency WME, which recently signed Meghan, told the Wall Street Journal that she still hopes to find new outlets for her work.
The royal couple have made millions since moving to California. Prince Harry’s bombastic memoir Spare was part of a $20 million book deal
“The team behind Archetypes continues to be proud of the podcast they created at Spotify,” said a spokesperson.
“Meghan continues to develop more content for the Archetypes audience on another platform.”
There’s also evidence Meghan may soon be trying to bring back her wellness and lifestyle blog, The Tig, to compete with Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop website – which is reportedly worth $250 million.
Since officially exiting the royal family and moving to California in 2020, the Duke and Duchess have pursued different avenues to generate income.
That includes Prince Harry’s bombastic memoir, Spare, which he penned as part of a $20 million deal with Penguin Books.
The couple also teamed up with Netflix to produce the Harry and Meghan documentary series. The streaming giant reportedly paid the couple $100 million for the six-episode series.