Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s project announcements are a ‘diversion tactic’ to distract from the fact that ‘nothing much is going on’, royal expert tells PALACE CONFIDENTIAL

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s recent string of “project announcements” — including a new podcast deal and the rollout of the Duchess of Sussex’s “jamfluencer” — are a “distraction tactic” from the fact that “probably isn’t much going on.” a royal expert has said.

Speaking of this week Palace confidentialRichard Kay of the Daily Mail said the couple are always ‘in a rush to make announcements’ and look ‘busy’.

“All these plans are in the pipeline and then nothing happens,” he continued during the episodereferring to previous claims that no new podcast work from the couple will be released until next year.

In February it was announced that Meghan had signed a deal with Lemonada Media, a female-founded company that wants to ‘make life less sucking’.

The Duchess, who produced just one series of her podcast Archetypes for Spotify before parting ways with the company, had signed with Lemonada to develop and host a new series.

However, a source told Richard Eden this week that no work is expected to air this year.

“The relaunch of Meghan’s Archetypes podcast was postponed until 2025,” the California-based insider claimed.

It’s clear that Lemonada didn’t want the podcast’s launch to be overshadowed by the former actress’s television series, which she began filming last week at a rental home in Montecito. Netflix said the show would “celebrate the joys of cooking and gardening, entertainment and friendship.”

Lemonada is said to be concerned that there would also be “scheduling conflicts” between the launch of his podcasts and that of Meghan’s lifestyle brand, American Riviera Orchard.

A spokesperson for Meghan declined to comment at the time, but sources claim she had a list of “very high-profile guests” who would take part in her new podcasts.

Richard Kay also told Palace Confidential that he believed Meghan’s focus is “obviously on the Riviera lifestyle stuff that she’s very proud of and manages” – and thought the announcement of “project” plans is “a kind of way to catch our breath and pause trying to decide what to do next’.

However, Richard Eden said it is a ‘very strange way of working’.

“I mean, take Netflix, they’ll announce a new movie somewhere when it’s gone into production or about to air,” he explained.

‘It’s very strange to announce deals and then have nothing. Announce a deal like this and then have no content, no podcasts for a year.

“It makes you wonder: Is she just doing it for publicity?”

Guests on her series of twelve podcasts for Spotify included Wimbledon champion Serena Williams, pop star Mariah Carey and Sex and the City author Candace Bushnell.

Bill Simmons, Spotify’s head of podcast innovation and monetization, branded the Duke and Duchess “f****** fraudsters” just hours after their reported £15 million deal was scrapped last summer.

He ranted: “I have to get drunk one night and tell the story of the Zoom I had with Harry to help him with a podcast idea. It’s one of my best stories.’

The couple produced less than 13 hours of content during the three-year partnership: 12 episodes of Meghan’s Archetypes show and a 30-minute Christmas special featuring both the Duke and Duchess.

Meghan said in February that she was “overjoyed” to join Lemonada, which describes itself as an “award-winning, independent…podcast network, on a mission to make life less suck.” She added, “Our plan to re-release Archetypes so more people can access it now, and to launch a dynamic new podcast, are in the works.” I so want to share it soon.”

Archetypes, Meghan’s original Spotify show, received approximately one million listens per episode and debuted as Spotify’s No. 1 podcast in 47 countries around the world when it launched in August 2022.

The series explored the labels that try to hold women back and included guests such as Mariah Carey, Jameela Jamil and Pamela Adlon.

It won a People’s Choice Award for The Pop Podcast of 2022 and the Duchess won Best Entertainment Podcast Host at the Gracie Awards.

In a statement about her new podcast, Meghan previously said: ‘Being able to support a female-founded business with a range of thought-provoking and highly entertaining podcasts is a fantastic way to start 2024.

“Our plan to re-release ‘Archetypes’ so more people can access it now, and to launch a dynamic new podcast, are in the works. I look forward to sharing this soon and am thrilled to be part of the Lemonada family.”

Cordova Kramer, of Lemonada, said at the time: “We are deeply honored that Meghan has trusted us to help democratize access to Archetypes, and that so many more people around the world will soon have access to the series.

“Meghan’s talent as a host, creator and conversationalist is unparalleled and we’re thrilled to collaborate with her to create a new series that furthers her approach to creating art that matters.”

But now the focus seems to be on Meghan’s strawberry jam which was launched earlier this month.

She sent the jam in baskets to 50 friends and influencers, each accompanied by a basket of lemons.

Those chosen so far include Delfina Blaquier, Suits co-star Abigail Spencer and fashion designer Tracy Robbins, who shared photos on Instagram.

Abigail, 42, was given the sixth jar in the batch as a gift, she revealed yesterday during a photo shoot in which she lay in the grass with the precious preserves.