Trouble Brewing for Harry and Meghan’s Archwell Venture

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, renowned for relinquishing their royal duties in 2020, made a significant move to the United States, kickstarting a new chapter with their venture, Archwell.

This foundation joined forces with Netflix to introduce the widely acclaimed docuseries, Harry and Meghan, to the streaming platform.

Despite this success, their collaboration with Spotify took a hit last June, leading to the abrupt end of Meghan's podcast after just one season.

With uncertainties looming over the fate of their multi-million dollar deal, speculations arise that the couple might be contemplating shutting down Archwell in favor of Paramount Pictures.

During a lavish, all-expenses-paid trip to Jamaica for the premiere of the Bob Marley biopic, Harry and Meghan's presence fueled talks of a potential partnership with industry leaders.

However, recent events within Archwell have raised eyebrows, with five senior members exiting their roles over the past 14 months.

The most recent departure, Bennett Levine, resigned on Tuesday.

He initially joined as a coordinator in 2021 and swiftly climbed the ranks to become a manager the following year.

Mandana Dayani, who served as the president of Archwell from 2021 to 2022, departed after a brief 18-month tenure.

The organizational shakeup continued as Rebecca Sinanez, initially hired to oversee Meghan's podcast Archetypes in 2021, was replaced by media executive Serena Reagan.

Farrah Taylor, the former head of marketing at Archwell, also stepped down in 2023 alongside Ben Browning, the head of internal content.

The series of departures have raised concerns, with PR expert Ryan McCormick suggesting underlying turmoil behind the scenes.

McCormick highlighted the lack of content output from Harry and Meghan as a significant issue, emphasizing the importance of delivering value to stakeholders and media partners.

Notably, reports surfaced last year indicating that the royal couple dedicated merely an hour per week to Archwell, a stark contrast to the standard 40-hour workweek.

Such minimal involvement could have contributed to Levine's decision to resign.

Nevertheless, the core challenge seems to lie in the insufficient content production by Harry and Meghan, potentially prompting further high-level departures if the trend persists.

The departure of Bennett Levine, while significant, pales in comparison to the broader issue of content scarcity from the couple.

Amidst swirling rumors about Netflix reconsidering its partnership with Archwell, the Sussexes have reportedly engaged in discussions with executives from other broadcasting companies.

The uncertainty surrounding their collaborations intensified following Spotify's termination of their podcast deal, which garnered criticism from prominent figures within the industry.

Tracey Ryerson's appointment as the new head of scripted content at Archwell Productions coincided with talks of the couple pitching a feminist-themed prequel to Charles Dickens' Great Expectations to Netflix.

Furthermore, recent developments revealed that Meghan and Harry recruited the marketing director from a prestigious nearby hotel, frequented by historical luminaries like Audrey Hepburn and Winston Churchill.

Despite these strategic maneuvers, the couple has experienced a significant turnover within their staff, with reports indicating the departure of 17 team members since 2018.

As the future of Archwell remains uncertain, Harry and Meghan face mounting challenges in sustaining their ventures amidst shifting partnerships and organizational dynamics.