The Duchess of Sussex was pictured looking pensive on Friday, the day after her $20million deal with Spotify ended.
Meghan Markle, 41, was spotted near her home in Montecito, apparently in an intense conversation. She then took off her headphones, but continued to check her phone while walking.
Dressed casually in 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 Lilibet, two – were not seen.
The decision not to embark on a second series of the 13-episode Archetypes podcast – which was number one on Spotify when it debuted – was seen by some as an admission of failure.
Meghan Markle: dressed casually with black skinny jeans, ballet flats and a striped sweater
Spotify and Sussex audio production company Archewell Audio released a joint statement saying they have “mutually agreed to part ways and are proud of the series we have created together”.
But Bill Simmons, head of podcast innovation and monetization at Spotify, condemned the pair in an episode of his own podcast on Friday.
‘The fucking crooks. This is the podcast we should have started with them,” he said.
“I have to get drunk one night and tell the Zoom story I had with Harry to try and help him with a podcast idea. It’s one of my best stories.
Simmons, a sportswriter, founded sports and pop culture website and podcast network The Ringer, and sold it to Spotify in 2020 for $200 million.
He then joined Spotify, and has long criticized the couple.
Last January, he lambasted Prince Harry, saying it was “embarrassing” to be affiliated with the same company.
She appeared to be having an intense discussion as she walked with wireless headphones
Meghan was pictured strolling to a salon date in Old Town Santa Barbara
Meghan was pictured looking sullen as she stood next to someone who may be security personnel
Meghan carried a $5,400 Fendi Peekaboo ISeeU bag as she walked near her home
The 41-year-old was apparently spotted in intense conversation as she walked
The luxurious Fendi Peekaboo ISeeU bag that Meghan carried is worth $5,400
Once she took out her headphones, Meghan continued to look at her phone as she walked
The photographs come amid rumors Meghan may soon be looking to bring back her wellness and lifestyle blog The Tig
The day before her snap, Spotify and the Sussexes’ audio production company Archewell Audio released a joint statement saying they had “mutually agreed to part ways”.
Meghan and Harry’s sprawling Tuscan-style estate in Montecito, bought in June 2020 for $14.7million, is said to have a large mortgage (pictured nearby)
Meghan pictured wearing $5,400 Fendi Peekaboo ISeeU bag and small paper bag
Here Meghan was seen taking off her jumper as she stood next to a black car
“Shoot that guy in the sun,” he said, according to the sports website The big track.
“I’m so tired of this guy. What does he bring to the table? He just complains about bullshit and keeps giving interviews.
‘Who gives as ***? Who cares about your life?
You weren’t even the favorite son. You live in f****** Montecito and you just sell documentaries and podcasts and nobody cares what you have to say about anything unless you talk about the royal family and so that you don’t complain about them.
Spotify recently laid off staff and cut big-name talent in favor of its focus on the creator economy.
The loss of the Spotify contract will be a blow to the Sussexes’ finances.
Their sprawling Tuscan-style estate in Montecito, purchased in June 2020 for $14.7 million, is said to have a large mortgage.
Annual property taxes alone cost $144,427 plus staff and maintenance.
A talent agency that recently signed Meghan, WME, told the Wall Street Journal that it still hopes to find new outlets for its work.
Without makeup, Meghan Markle looks sullen as she walks to the black car near her home
Although Harry and his 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, now works as a podcast innovation manager at Spotify. On Friday he described the Duke and Duchess of Sussex (right) as ‘f****** crooks’ after parting ways with the business
Meghan Markle’s Spotify podcast Archetypes will not be renewed for a second season
It comes amid reports the pair will stop making documentaries and tell-all books as they have ‘nothing left to say’
But the talent agency that recently signed Meghan, WME, told the Wall Street Journal it still hopes to find new outlets for her work.
The royal couple have made millions since arriving in California. Prince Harry Spare’s explosive memoir was part of a $20million book deal
“The team behind Archetypes remains proud of the podcast they created at Spotify,” a spokesperson said.
“Meghan continues to develop more content for the Archetype audience on another platform.”
There are also suggestions that Meghan could soon seek to bring back her wellness and lifestyle blog The Tig, in a bid to compete with Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop website – which is reportedly worth $250million .
Since officially leaving the Royal Family and moving to California in 2020, the Duke and Duchess have pursued a number of different avenues to generate income.
This includes Prince Harry’s explosive memoir, Spare, which he created as part of a $20 million deal with Penguin Books.
The couple have also teamed up with Netflix to produce the documentary series Harry And Meghan, with the streaming giant paying the pair $100 million for the six-episode series.
