Meghan Markle and Prince Harry faced a severe blow to their reputation, being labeled 'grifters' by a Spotify executive after the termination of their $20 million deal with the streaming platform.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex experienced a setback in the summer of 2023 when Spotify announced the cancellation of their significant contract. Royal author Tom Bower asserted that this snub will have lasting repercussions on the couple's future deals.
“Of course they’ve lost their big Spotify contract - one of the big contracts that was clearly going to be their basis for fame,” Bower stated in an interview with Closer magazine.
He emphasized the impact of the 'grifters' label, quoting Bill Simmons, head of podcast innovation and monetization at Spotify, who publicly criticized the couple after the deal was terminated. Simmons expressed regret for not being involved in the negotiation, saying, “That’s the podcast we should have launched with them.”
Bower concluded, “The ‘grifters’ line has tarnished them for life.”
