Back in June, Meghan Markle’s Spotify podcast was canceled after just one season.
The move came as a major surprise, especially given the months of hype that had surrounded the project and the A-list names that Meghan was able to attract as guests.
A spokesman for the Sussexes initially tried to play the cancelation off as an amicable, mutual decision between the two parties involved.
But in the weeks after news that followed, the truth became abundantly clear.
Journalist and Spotify media partner Bill Simmons blasted Harry and Meghan as “f–king grifters,” and the British tabloid media had a field day with what appeared to be a major setback in the Sussexes’ new life as American media stars.
Not surprisingly, the Sussexes have been silent on the matter and have shifted the narrative by devoting most of their recent time and attention to humanitarian endeavors.
In the past month, Harry and Meghan have attended the Invictus Games in Dusseldorf and the World Mental Health Summit in New York City, but the favorable media coverage that followed has yet to overshadow the barrage of negative press the couple has endured in the past year.
In fact, some outlets appear to be dredging up old stories about the duke and duchess just so the haters will have something to cling to during the couple’s current charm offensive.
One well that the anti-Sussex media keeps returning to in times like these is the story about Meghan’s podcast being canceled.
According to a new report from In Touch (via Yahoo! News), Harry and Meghan desperately tried to rescue their $20 million by coming up with ideas that were “laughable.”
“The Sussexes haven’t talked about it publicly,” an insider tells the magazine.
“But it was humiliating for them both.”
The source points out, however, that that setback might have marked an important turning point in Harry and Meghan’s careers.
The couple seems to be working with a renewed sense of purpose these days, as indicated by Meghan’s decision to sign with the famed WME talent agency.
“The Spotify failure put a fire under both of them to keep moving forward,” says the insider.
Despite rumors to the contrary (and reports of a Suits reboot), it doesn’t look like Meghan will be returning to acting anytime soon.
Instead, the WME partnership will be focused on bringing attention to the duchess’ humanitarian projects and future business endeavors.
Obviously, no one can buy a good reputation or a media career, and despite the claims of their critics, that’s not what the Sussexes are attempting to do.
They’re simply not going down without a fight, and since they continue to enjoy the support of a sizable fan base, they probably won’t be going away anytime soon.
