Ever since The Duchess of Sussex first announced her first Spotify series - a podcast about female stereotypes and typecasting - the tabloid has been poised misinterpret basically everything she says. We've already seen it in just the first two episodes, where Meghan spoke to Serena Williams and Mariah Carey about ambition and diva demands respectively. But what else do we know about the new project?
What is Meghan Markle's podcast about?
According to Spotify, Meghan Markle will use the platform to 'investigate the labels that try to hold women back.' Archetypes features conversations with women and experts about how these harmful typecasts shape narratives around women.
In a teaserfor the show, Meghan was heard saying, 'This is how we talk about women: the words that raise our girls, and how the media reflects women back to us... but where do these stereotypes come from? And how do they keep showing up and defining our lives?'
She added, 'This is Archetypes - the podcast where we dissect, explore, and subvert the labels that try to hold women back. I'll have conversations with women who know all too well how these typecasts shape our narratives.' Meghan continued, 'And I'll talk to historians to understand how we even got here in the first place.' Reportedly, she will also discuss being a mother especially raising her daughterLilibet. Spotify and Archewell Audio described her conversations with her guests as 'uncensored.'
The series marks the first podcast in a partnership between Spotify and Archewell Audio, the audio-first production company created by the former Meghan Markle and her husband, Prince Harry. It was previously reported that Prince Harry would also appear in this series, but it seems with this first series, he will take a back seat in order to allow Meghan to spotlight women.
Why is Meghan Markle's podcast called Archetypes?
Archetype is a likely reference to Archewell, the nonprofit organisation the Duke and Duchess nov Sussex founded - and it stems from the name of their son, Archie.
'Before SussexRoyal, came the idea of ‘Arche’ — the Greek word meaning ‘source of action’. We connected to this concept for the charitable organisation we hoped to build one day, and it became the inspiration for our son’s name,” the couple said in a statement when announcing Archewell in 2020.
'To do something of meaning, to do something that matters. Archewell is a name that combines an ancient word for strength and action, and another that evokes the deep resources we each must draw upon.'
When will Archetypes be released?
The series was released in August and new episodes land on the streaming site roughly once a week. Meghan and Harry signed a deal in 2020 with the audio streaming platform to host and produce podcasts, estimated to be worth around £18million. So far, they have only realised one episode - a holiday special featuring their son Archie and celebrity guests. The episode featured big names like Stacey Abrams, José Andrés, James Corden, Elton John, Naomi Osaka and Tyler Perry.