"Hi guys, I'm Harry." "And I'm Meghan." So begins the highly anticipated debut episode of Archewell Audio. Behind the unassuming name lies the fruits of ex-royal couple Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's multimillion dollar podcast deal with Spotify's Gimlet studio.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s brand is all about compassion and kindness, and yet they still get trolled from many an angle. How dare they be so “woke” and talk about empathy, good deeds and hope, especially at a time when the world needs it so much?
As people who were actual royalty until earlier this year, the pair presumably have any guest they could possibly want on speed dial, so they've picked ones "from all walks of life" including James Corden, Deepak Chopra, Matt Haig and Sir Elton John for their Holiday Special. (Yes, holiday, not Christmas. So far, so squarely aimed at the American market.)
But this isn’t your average interview podcast, mostly because Harry and Meghan don’t actually do any interviewing. Instead, they’ve asked their guests to record audio diaries to mull over what 2020 means to them. “We were curious to hear what they’d reflect on when they had a moment to themselves,” says Harry. “Without navigating the sometimes awkward dance of a video chat, meaning no one having to say: ‘You’re on mute’ over and over again, which is probably one of the defining phrases of 2020.” (Checking the relatable box there, Harry.)
So does that mean they couldn’t actually be bothered to talk to Elton John about his cancelled tour or Matt Haig’s “scrolling and scrolling” at the terrible news? If you’re expecting insight, debate or any sense of who the couple really are, it’s not going to come from this flashy headline-grabber. Some of podcasting’s finest moments come when conversation rambles on and takes an unexpected turn (see Michelle Obama), so Archewell Audio might as well have been a one-way radio broadcast.
Meghan is super-slick and confident, leading the conversation as Harry follows: she starts the sentences with purpose and he finishes them. Harry’s laid-back posh drawl pronounces the year of doom as “twenny twenny” and Meghan has that Gwyneth Paltrow-esque knack of saying something with such wide-eyed gravitas that you’re hypnotised into thinking you’ve just heard a meaningful revelation. “Connection was crucial for all of us this year, in whatever way we found it,” she says. “Sometimes standing at a distance, sometimes just through a screen.”
Harping on about the power of connection is ironic if you don’t actually get close to interviewing your interviewees. During one of their links, Harry describes Brené Brown – the US professor, lecturer, author, and podcast host – as “awesome” and Meghan gives a small but reassuring giggle, the audio equivalent of a comforting hand on her husband’s arm. But if, as Harry promises, their podcast exists to give listeners “a little warmth, a smile and something to think about” then it does the job. And if it wants to appeal to a mass market who fancy an uplifting half-hour that reassures them there may be some light in the world, it’s there.
“No matter what life throws at you guys, trust us when we say, love wins,” says Meghan in her closing comments.
“Love always wins,” agrees Harry.
“So true,” says Meghan, with the air of a woman who has no idea what life is like outside her bubble, but genuinely wants it all to be OK for everyone.
Just as you’ve collected enough inspirational quotes to fill your kitchen wall, the proud parents bring in baby Archie to say “happy new year” and then crank up This Little Light of Mine, the song from that moment at their wedding that made even the most fierce republican down tools for a moment. As Harry would say: “Boom.” – Guardian
