Meghan Markle's podcast's 1st episode ranks 19th on Spotify US, failing to replicate the success of Archetypes

Meghan Markle's much-anticipated podcasting comeback has gotten off to a somewhat lukewarm start. The first episode of her new podcast, Confessions of a Female Founder, failed to capture the same success as her last Spotify podcast series, Archetypes. According to Daily Mail, the debut episode of Archetypes had reached No.1 on Spotify's charts in several countries. However, her latest effort has now entered Spotify's US rankings in 19th place.

Given the fanfare around her previous work, the Duchess of Sussex's new podcast, created in collaboration with Lemonada Media, was expected to have a particularly significant impact. The first episode featured Whitney Wolfe Herd, co-founder of Bumble and a close friend of Meghan Markle.

Initial performance metrics, however, have proven poor. While Archetypes soared to the top of the streaming rankings when it was released in 2022, the new podcast could not achieve the same level of success.

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Critics' ratings of Meghan Markle's new podcast Confessions of a Female Founder

Meghan Markle's new podcast has been at the receiving end of scathing reviews from critics. The Telegraph's critic Chris Bennion rated Markle's podcast two stars, reporting it as "an inane stream of mindless aphorisms" with "zero confessions."

In another article, The Times of London's columnist James Marriott gave the podcast a one-star rating and stated that he was "seized by an urge to beat my head against the wall" after listening to the first episode.

Rachel Aroesti with The Guardian gave the podcast a two-star review, calling it a "sycophantic interview podcast" that is "stomach-turning."

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Meghan Markle's other ventures

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry debuted their podcast Archetypes on Spotify in 2022. However, despite being well received, the Sussexes' contract with Spotify expired in June 2023.

As reported by the New York Post, Bill Simmons, head of Spotify's global sports strategy, stated that the couple's lack of productivity caused issues before the partnership was broken. In a 2023 episode of The Bill Simmons Podcast, Simmons called Markle and Prince Harry "f***ing grifters" and expressed his regret about working with them.

2022 Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Ripple Of Hope Gala (Image via Getty)

Markle released her lifestyle TV series With Love, Meghan, on March 4, 2025. Netflix has renewed the series for another season..

The Duchess of Sussex also launched her lifestyle brand As Ever on April 2, 2025. The brand appeared to be a huge success, with all products selling out within an hour of the launch.