The Duchess of Sussex reportedly wrote the singer a personal letter.
Meghan Markle couldn't land Taylor Swift as a guest on her podcast. Amid drama surrounding Meghan and her husband, Prince Harry's, media deals, The Wall Street Journal published a new report with bombshell claims about the Sussexes.
In the article, the outlet says that Meghan wrote Taylor a personal letter asking her to appear on Archetypes, the podcast the Duchess of Sussex hosted about the stereotypes that hold women back. Taylor declined the invitation through a representative, the outlet claims.
Per the outlet, choosing podcast guests was a challenge for Meghan, and one of several problems that plagued her and Harry's $20 million deal with Spotify, which the couple and the company mutually ended earlier this month.
Harry, the outlet claims, struggled to land on an idea for his contractually required podcast; he considered topics such as veterans and misinformation, and even thought about co-hosting a show with Hasan Minhaj.
In a separate report by Bloomberg, Harry's podcast woes were further discussed, with sources claiming to the outlet that the duke pitched a show about childhood trauma, in which he'd interview controversial figures like Vladimir Putin, Mark Zuckerberg and Donald Trump about their early formative years. The idea raised questions of practicality, though.
That same concern was brought up when Harry, who also pitched a fatherhood podcast, considered a podcast about major societal issues, on which he hoped to have Pope Francis on as a guest, according to the outlet.
The Sussexes' shuttered Spotify deal has drawn criticism from several high-profile figures including Spotify executive Bill Simmons, who referred to the couple as "f**king grifters," and Kelly Osbourne, who called Harry a "f**king t**t."
Likewise, United Talent Agency CEO Jeremy Zimmer recently told Semafor, "Turns out Meghan Markle was not a great audio talent, or necessarily any kind of talent. And, you know, just because you're famous doesn't make you great at something."
It's not just the Spotify drama that's causing those reactions, though. There's also the couple's $100 million deal with Netflix, which so far has produced two series: Harry & Meghan and Live to Lead. According to WSJ, Meghan and Harry's ideas for a children's show, a sitcom, and a family-friendly LGBTQ series were all rejected by the network.
However, a documentary series about the Invictus Games is nearing completion, and another series, this one about a Charles Dickens character, is currently in development, the outlet reports.
While the outlet claims that Netflix is unlikely to renew the couple's deal when it expires in 2025, a spokesperson for the streamer tells ET in a statement, "We value our partnership with Archewell Productions. 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."
Overall, people who work at Archewell tell the outlet that, while Meghan and Harry hoped to follow in Barack and Michelle Obama's post-White House footsteps when it comes to media production, even working with the same attorney as the former first couple, they've been "underwhelmed by the lack of productivity" of the Sussexes and concerned about their lack of direction.
In response to the criticism, an Archewell spokesperson tells the outlet, "New companies often make changes in their start up phase, both with people and strategy, and we are no exception. We're more equipped, focused and energized than ever before."
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