Spotify Executive and Podcaster Bill Simmons Labels Prince Harry and Meghan Markle as “Grifters” Following Their Departure from the Company

Bill Simmons, the man behind The Ringer and a top executive at Spotify, didn’t hold back on his podcast when discussing Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. In fact, he called them “f–king grifters.” The couple recently parted ways with Spotify after signing a $20 million deal three years ago for their production company, Archewell. While Spotify has been investing heavily in podcasting, including the acquisition of The Ringer for roughly $200 million, they have since scaled back and laid off staff. Despite this, they still have notable hosts like Joe Rogan on their roster. Simmons, who still runs The Ringer and is Head of Podcast Innovation and Monetization at Spotify, made the comments on his eponymous podcast. He even joked that “That’s the podcast we shoulda launched with them.” The comments were first reported by The Big Lead and have since surfaced on Twitter. Despite Archewell’s podcasts, including one hosted by Markle called Archetypes, not receiving a second-season renewal, it could potentially resurface on another platform. Markle signed with WME last April, with the agency also repping Archewell. This isn’t the first time Simmons has criticized the royal couple, as he previously blasted Prince Harry, saying it was “embarrassing” to be affiliated with the same company.