Fresh from the launch of her latest digital endeavor, Meghan Markle is once again in the spotlight, this time promoting her upcoming podcast, Confessions of a Female Founder.
And what better way to generate buzz than by crafting another carefully curated Instagram moment? Dressed in her signature beige ensemble, she offered a behind-the-scenes glimpse of herself in the recording studio—headphones on, laptop open, papers in hand—exuding an air of deep concentration. The image, of course, was polished to perfection, designed to reinforce the narrative of a hardworking entrepreneur.
However, as Meghan makes yet another move to stay relevant, a minor roadblock has appeared—a dispute with Spotify over the use of its exclusive podcasting studio. If the name rings a bell, it's because Spotify famously signed Meghan and Harry to a multi-million-dollar deal for their Archetypes podcast, only to later regret it when the pair delivered a mere twelve episodes before parting ways. Now, despite that split, Meghan has reportedly been recording her new Lemonada Media-produced podcast in the very same studio, much to Spotify’s dismay. While she may believe she can effortlessly transition between production companies as easily as she pivots PR strategies, Spotify is now questioning whether she even has the right to use their facilities for a project they have no stake in. After all, they invested heavily in that space, and last time anyone checked, Meghan wasn’t exactly their most lucrative asset. A legal standoff over a recording studio might sound trivial, but in 2025, it somehow feels fitting.
That said, if Meghan truly sees herself as an entrepreneurial powerhouse, wouldn’t it make sense for her to build her own studio? After all, isn’t that what a self-made founder would do? Yet, no Meghan Markle venture would be complete without a generous helping of self-congratulation. Her latest Instagram caption—“Hard at work or hardly working? The former, my friend. The former. Let’s go.”—invites more than a few raised eyebrows. Hard at work doing what, exactly? Carefully crafting an image? Reading a scripted voiceover? Sharing affiliate links to designer handbags? Given that she only carried out 72 official engagements as a royal, Meghan’s brand of "hard work" feels somewhat selective. Meanwhile, millions of people balancing full-time jobs, long commutes, and actual responsibilities aren’t exactly looking to her for career inspiration. True entrepreneurship isn’t about perfect lighting and carefully edited soundbites—it’s about genuine effort and perseverance. But when you have a dedicated PR team ensuring everything appears seamless, even the simplest tasks can be repackaged as tireless ambition.
There was a time when Meghan’s polished mix of social justice messaging and luxury branding might have resonated, but the influencer landscape has shifted. Audiences are growing increasingly skeptical of celebrities who push high-end products while insisting they’re just like the average person. Today’s most successful influencers are younger, more relatable, and not trying to peddle billion-dollar business advice while living in a Montecito mansion. So who is actually tuning in for Confessions of a Female Founder? Aside from Prince Harry, who at this point may just be trying to avoid another awkward dinner conversation, the potential audience remains unclear. Perhaps it’s the same listeners who initially gave Archetypes a chance—before realizing Meghan’s interviews had been stitched together with pre-recorded segments.
In the grand scheme of things, a disagreement between Meghan Markle and Spotify hardly qualifies as a major industry feud. But it does raise some valid questions. If you’re going to brand yourself as a founder, shouldn’t you actually build something? If you claim to be working tirelessly, shouldn’t there be some evidence of that labor? And if you’re going to fight over a podcasting studio, shouldn’t you at least have something worth recording? Ultimately, Meghan remains a master of self-promotion—but whether the world is still buying what she’s selling is another question entirely.
