Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s ‘total system reboot’: Couple are revamping their career direction after being surprised at Spotify ‘turning down so many of their ideas’, sources claim

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex didn’t expect Spotify to “reject so many of their ideas”, Omid Scobie said in his new book.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s “biggest cheerleader” said the couple had learned a “mountain of lessons” about the “business side of things” after they “rushed” to sign commercial deals after leaving their roles in the royal family.

In his book Endgame, which was published in the UK on Tuesday, Mr Scobie said the Sussexes “may have thought twice” about signing some lucrative deals “if they had not been under so much financial pressure”.

The couple’s multimillion-dollar deal with Spotify was terminated in June following a “mutual” decision between the streaming giant and Archewell Audio, the Duke and Duchess’s company.

In their next chapter, Meghan, 42, and Harry, 39, “are embarking on a complete system reset,” the source said. PEOPLEwhile an insider told Mr Scobie that the Duchess is building “something based on her love of detail, curation, hosting, life’s simple pleasures and family.”

Discussing the Spotify deal, Mr Scobie wrote: “Neither of the two executives expected the executives to abandon so many of their ideas. The streamer, a company source said, was only interested in paying for racy merchandise that would generate major headlines and attract subscribers.”

He added that only the $20 million (£15 million) portion of the deal had been paid, with a source quoted in the book saying:There were definitely a lot of lessons learned when it comes to the business side of things.”

The source said Mr Scobie suggested Meghan’s next step would be to create “something more accessible… something based on her love of detail, curation, hosting, life’s simple pleasures and family.”

A friend of the Duchess told the author: “Meghan is busy working on creating something safe and timeless. And something that won’t be accused of riding on the back of something royal.

Meanwhile, a source told PEOPLE that the Duke and Duchess are “all about the future.”

They said, “What we are seeing—and I think we will see more of—is Heghan 2.0.” Part Double. They are aware of their perceived failures and how it is viewed, but they have become almost more technologically advanced than Hollywood. Big failure and all that.

“They swapped all sorts of projects and people around and proceeded to completely reboot the system.”

In October, a Spotify chief executive suggested Harry and Meghan’s podcast deal fell through because it failed to satisfy consumers after the Sussexes filmed just 12 episodes over two-and-a-half years.

Daniel Ek, who made a rare media appearance nearly four months after it was announced that the Archetypes podcast would not be renewed for a second season, admitted that some of Spotify’s innovative ideas haven’t gone to plan.

Sources close to the multimillion-dollar deal the pair signed in 2020 said it was terminated after the pair failed to produce enough content to warrant a full payout.

Shedding new light on the decision not to renew Harry and Meghan’s agreement, Spotify chief Ek told the BBC: “We thought there was a need for new innovation here.

“We thought we could offer a great experience that would both make consumers very happy and open up new opportunities for new creators.”

He added: “And the truth is, some of it worked, some of it didn’t. We learn from their experiences and move on, and we wish everyone we didn’t renew well in the future.”

Ek spoke to the BBC’s Zoe Kleinman, who quizzed him on whether the 12 podcasts produced in Sussex over two-and-a-half years were worth £18 million. She said his response was “very diplomatic.”

Megan’s podcast was one of the most high-profile victims of the time. This comes after Spotify’s deal with Barack and Michelle Obama’s production company ended last year.

In a conference call with financial analysts earlier this year, Ek acknowledged that mistakes were made during the $1 billion-plus boom as the company tried to establish itself as a top competitor in the industry.

After it was revealed that Harry and Meghan’s podcast would not be renewed, Spotify chief executive Bill Simmons called the couple “fucking scammers”, which is an Americanism for scammers.

Simmons, head of podcast innovation and monetization at Spotify, condemned the pair on an episode of his own podcast.

“Damn scammers. This is the podcast we had to launch with them,” he said. “I had to get drunk one night and tell the story of a Zoom I had with Harry to try to help him with a podcast idea. This is one of my best stories.”

Mr Scobie today insisted that Harry and Meghan did not brief him on “Endgame” but revealed that “the people around them” were happy to spill the beans on “the ins and outs” of their rows with the royal family.

The author appears to be in New York for a series of interviews on US television to promote her latest attack on the royal family, calling much of the criticism against her “nonsense”.

In an interview with the London Evening Standard, the Sussexes’ favorite royal reporter revealed that he met Meghan several times.

But he again denied being close to the former Suits star and her royal husband, repeatedly insisting they did not help him with the new book.

He said: “There are enough people around them and in their orbit who know the ins and outs of things,” adding: “If there was ever a private meeting with Meghan, I talked about it.”

Mr Scobie denies he is biased against the Sussexes, saying he is drawn to “injustice” and is keen to highlight what he sees as the hypocrisy of the Windsors trying to be “a fine example of traditional family values”.

Scobie’s ‘depressingly poisonous’ Endgame was today written off as just another book by those at Buckingham Palace, MailOnline can reveal. Omid is particularly cruel to Prince William and his wife, whom he says is called “Katy Keene.”

He also seems to blame them, especially Kate, for pushing Meghan out: “From the very early stages there was a coldness towards Meghan that always surprised me.

“I always found it interesting that when Meghan was going through the hardest days of her life and struggling with mental health issues… someone in the family who first experienced that look as a newbie… couldn’t turn around and help a family member. In my opinion, that says a lot about someone’s character.”

He also told the Evening Standard newspaper that for a “woman of colour” Meghan becoming a member of the royal family is a “really important moment in British history”.

He said the Windsors should have made more of an effort to keep her around, “regardless of whether she’s pretty.” That she is not retained at the Firm sends a “strong signal about the institution’s attitude toward people of diverse backgrounds.”

He told the Standard that Prince William is now “very preoccupied, very short-tempered, quick to react” and staff need to “check which way the wind is blowing before talking to him.”

Scobie told the Standard: “It makes me wonder how happy he is in his role,” adding that he believes there is a “growing gulf between father and son.”

Buckingham Palace maintained a contemptuous silence, but a royal source described Scobie’s Endgame as just another book about the Windsors, not worthy of official comment.

An insider told MailOnline when asked if Mr Scobie’s claims were true: “Hundreds of books have been written about the royal family.” Endgame was released today, but some reviews were poor.

Even the Sussex-sympathetic New York Times wilted by comparing his articles to an AI chatbot that compared one section to Meghan and Harry’s press release.

Last night a new book about the royal family was branded “vicious” and “simply disgusting”. Well-placed sources have described wild claims that Charles, Camilla and William conspired to undermine Harry and Meghan as “distressingly venomous”.

Omid Scobie’s book also takes aim at the Princess of Wales, calling her a “cold” and criticizing her for supporting mental health issues while “ignoring Meghan’s cries for help.”