Prince Harry & Meghan’s first podcast features celebrities, political figures & Archie!

archie2

Yesterday, Spotify posted the first Archewell Audio podcast by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Just a word about podcasting… I barely have anything to do with our Gossip With Celebitchy pod, I’m only the “on-air talent,” so to speak, and CB does all of the technical sh-t. Still, it felt like it took us months to really get the hang of recording the pod and even *just* figuring out what we’ll say and then actually recording it is time-consuming, let alone the hours CB spends editing it. While Harry and Meghan absolutely have the means to buy the best equipment and sound editors and mixers and such, I kind of wonder if they’re figuring out that delivering regular podcasts might be more time-consuming than they originally thought. That was what struck me as I listened to parts of their 2020 Archewell Audio Holiday Special: how much time it took to seek out all of those “guests,” then figuring out how to edit it all together with music and all of that.

Anyway, their first podcast has contributions from Naomi Osaka, Sir Elton John, Stacey Abrams, José Andrés, Tyler Perry, James Corden and many others. The subject was 2020, what sucked about the year, what people learned, and hopes for the future. I’ll admit I skipped some parts, especially the more self-help-y “insights.” You can listen to it here.

Towards the end of the pod, Harry and Meghan played a cover of “This Little Light of Mine,” which was one of the songs performed at their wedding. This version was performed by Karen Gibson and the Kingdom Choir. Harry said the song “means so much to us… Not a toast per se, but a song – which is about shining a light.” Meghan said: “’This Little Light of Mine” played at the very end of our wedding while we were walking down the steps of the church. It was the music that we wanted playing when we started our lives together. Because as we all know, ‘darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that…’ “ And at the very end of the podcast, you can hear little Archie:

I can’t tell who is happier, Archie or Harry! Archie’s little giggle joined with Harry’s giggle is priceless. Archie is completely Harry’s Mini Me. And there was some nastiness from the British press about Archie’s American accent, but the way he says “new” is British? Also, the Daily Mail literally ran a long-ass piece about how Harry is un-poshing his own accent. I think his accent is mostly the same but those royal commentators have their panties in a bunch about ALL OF THIS.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle attend an event at Millennium Point to celebrate International Women's Day in Birmingham on 8th March 2018

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Backgrid.

You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.

148 Responses to “Prince Harry & Meghan’s first podcast features celebrities, political figures & Archie!”

Comments are Closed

We close comments on older posts to fight comment spam.

  1. Sandra says:

    So cute. So happy! I love toddlers voices at this age!

    • Elizabeth Regina says:

      I love that Archie’s few words carries more weight and has done more to cheer people up than the RFs words and actions combined. People in that family are incandescent with rage if the British tabloids are to be believed.

      • Nyro says:

        His three little words and a giggle have gotten more press than the queen’s Xmas address and the Dolittles’ Superspreader Snowpiercer tour combined. It’s amazing.

    • (The OG) Jan90067 says:

      It’s the best!! And their laughter!!!! I DARE anyone to listen to a baby/toddler laugh, and NOT to smile and join laughing 😄

      I LOVE that Archie and Harry have the SAME giggle! It’s beyond adorable 😊.

      This was a lovely “present” from M&H to give their supporters!

      • ican'tanymore says:

        I listened to it on repeat and joined what I can only imagine were thousands of people at that very moment giggling along with them with joy. After being in isolation for 14 days with my husband having COVID, it was so life-giving. Toddlers repeat their parents very literally at that age – if Harry had an accent saying “new”, Archie did too. That’s how they figure out language. Geesh people.

      • (TheOG) Jan90067 says:

        Hoping your husband has an easy recovery, ican’tanymore, and that the New Year finds you both safe and well.

        And yes, kids mimic EVERYTHING parents say from the time they start making the “dddd dada” and “mmmm..mama” sounds to the age of 3-4 or so.

        I will NEVER forget the time I was driving with my sister and nephew (who was about 28 mos. at the time), and a car cut us off, quite closely. My sister hit the horn and the brakes, and reflexed out: “Goddamn, sonofabitch!” and a beat later, we heard my nephew from the back seat beep his carseat “horn” and yell: “G’damn suffabish”. WE DIED laughing!!

      • ican'tanymore says:

        (TheOG) Jan90067 That’s an AMAZING story!!!! Bahahahahahaha! 🙂

      • Ann says:

        My son is in his 20s now and his laughter and sense of humor are my best memories of him from that age. He was a handful, very active and sassy, but a big laugher and with a keen SoH. I feel so blessed to have two kids who like to laugh and are funny.

      • HeyJude says:

        That was absolutely just the sweetest. They both- Harry and Archie- obviously adore each other.

        It must make the awful internet crazies who still go on about Harry is being bamboozled into this (somehow, for reasons?) and Archie being “money baby” absolutely mad to hear their genuine affection. No amount of online fan fic blind websites can refute the simple proof of our eyes and ears that obviously disprove it.

        They’re just a lovely little family and I hope they’re deliriously happy!

      • PrincessK says:

        It made me happy, it made me smile. What a joy!

    • Babz says:

      (TheOG) love that story! My mom used to tell a story about taking one of my cousins, then around two years old, to church. Said cousin’s dad had a real potty mouth. They were at the back of the church, the final hymn had just ended before the benediction, and my cousin dropped the hymnal she had been “singing” from. In that split second of silence, her little voice piped up, saying, “G*dd*mn songbook!” No one had to guess where she learned the word! My mother was mortified, and grabbed her out of there instantly!

    • Gruey says:

      I listened to him say happy 30x and it brought tears to my eyes. I guess I’ve become super sentimental since having my kids, what can I say.

    • Meghan says:

      My son is 4 and he just has the sweetest voice and the best laugh. Hearing Archie was absolutely adorable, and I hope he says words “incorrectly.” My son very rarely turned words into cute words, he was all about the correct pronunciation and it makes me sad. I think once he said oscapus and then after that it was octopus. He even corrects me if I try to say something cute, kids man!

    • Lorelei says:

      I would 100% listen to a podcast that was entirely comprised of Archie repeating his parents and giggling. Not even exaggerating! I would subscribe and run it on a loop.

  2. Amy Bee says:

    The real reason the British press is so angry is that they’ve realised they dropped the bag. Oh, and Charles must be pissed because the same day the podcast came out he was interviewed on the Radio4’s Today programme by Margaret Atwood. Once again, he’s been overshadowed by the Sussexes.

    • Elizabeth Regina says:

      Archie’s few words overshadowed the 1st in line’s. If the RF are smart, they should call off their attack dogs and reconcile with the Sussexes. But then again, the latest choo choo express decision shows they are not.

      • Amy Bee says:

        Considering that the Queen still holds a grudge against Tony Blair for his role in the aftermath of Diana’s death, I doubt the Royal Family wants to reconcile with the Sussexes. In their eyes, Harry and Meghan has betrayed the family and abandoned their duty to the UK.

      • ABritGuest says:

        I’m seeing the podcast debut and Archie’s three words covered as far as local news in the Philippines, Brazil, India, Kenya etc. If the RF and rota were smart they could have been gaining from this positive attention. Look at how warmly people thought of Charles walking Meghan down the aisle or even old racist Philip beaming at that picture when they introduced Archie.

        Even if it was just for appearances seeming to welcome Meghan did great for the RF’s image generally. How helpful (image wise) would it have been if they could point to embrace of Meghan as evidence lessons had been learned from cold treatment of Diana during this season of the crown especially where US SM seems to be dragging Charles the hardest. Instead you have people saying they understand why her son chose to leave.

        I guess the rota will have content to keep dragging the Sussexes for with their output from Spotify and Netflix to come but now most of them are on the outside looking in & are stuck desperately propping up the magnificent seven which must be boring. the gripes against the Sussexes are getting tired too especially now the public aren’t paying for them.

      • HeyJude says:

        @ABritGuest

        Archie’s first words got coverage and played in the top few stories of my local mid sized mid-western US’s city’s night newscast.

        I was quite surprised we are a very inconsequential, random American city.

        The last time I remember the royals making the local newscast here was when Charles had COVID even then it was towards the end in their around the world bit. I assume that Harry’s family being here in the US is what raised the newsworthy priority level or perhaps the channel’s website gets a ton of engagement on H&M related posts.

        Either way they’ve definitely “made it” in middle America!

      • PrincessK says:

        Exactly the Palace is fighting a losing battle with the Sussexes. Someone needs to pull William and Kate aside and talk some sense into them, their strategy against the Sussexes has failed big time and will continue to work against them unless they accept the Sussexes and what they have to offer.

    • VS says:

      but Charles is the FK; he works with those tabloids; neither he nor TQ is ever going to be that covered in international news media unless there is a scandal or a Sussexit type news

      So why doesn’t he asked the UK media to cover his interviews? they can cover more than one news from that family right? he can ask for the frontpages; the uk coverage of H&M&A is negative anyway, so Charles will get positive coverage………the rf complains about overshadowing yet never asks the press NOT to cover H&M&A?

      • equality says:

        Even if he asked, would they do it? They know that H&M get the clicks so to keep their money rolling in they have to cover them.

      • Amy Bee says:

        Because they know they can’t. If they ask the media to stop covering the Sussexes, the press will start looking a bit closer into what the rest of the Royal Family is doing. They complain about overshadowing but the attacks on the Sussexes, especially Meghan suits them fine. They were in agreement with the press that Meghan should leave and should have no place in the Royal Family.

      • VS says:

        @equality, @Amy Bee — no one should complain about overshadowing then; Additionally H&M live in the US, we have a huge media ecosystem here so the uk media gets their news secondhanded now anyway; what impact would that have while with the royals in the uk, they get “told what to write” but it is first hand news…..if the rf is not careful, they will create an almost competing court in the US; which is insane

        I wonder how H&M will sustain this media attention especially for their charity work and as storytellers……interesting times ahead for them!

      • LindaGiggles says:

        The media coverage for H&M is way more broader than the “working royals”. I just saw a story about the podcast on my local noon news in Philadelphia. It was on an ABC/Disney owned station.

      • VS says:

        @LindaGiggles — I agree; but somehow some in the uk tabloid trash think those people would cover the “tax-payer funded royals” if H&M weren’t there …. let me laugh a little 🙂

  3. OriginalLala says:

    Archie was totally adorable! It was ok as far a podcasts go, I liked the idea more than the execution but, like most things, they will need a bit of time to figure out their style and what works best for them. I look forward to more episodes!

    • Love says:

      Oprah has been doing something similar on her super soul podcast, where she picks a theme, and flashes back back on previous convos with guests to address the theme… it’s incredible. I honestly thought H&M’s was easily as good, or… *dare I say* better?

      Can’t wait to see what else they do. This was obviously an outlier 😊

      • Eleonora says:

        Didn’t know about Oprah’s podcast. Will check it out, thanks.
        I like these kind of hopeful, inspirational things (documentaires, books etc) that Americans are especially good at. And particularly American women.

        See also: Michelle Obama.

        Any recommendations welcome 🙂

  4. Sofia says:

    I really enjoyed the podcast. It was very well made.

    As for Archie’s accent, he’s only about 18 months. His accent could very much change and he could sound very different in a years time. Hence why I wouldn’t get too worked up over whether it’s American or British. He could very much have a mix of both.

    • bettyrose says:

      If he attends school in California, he’ll most likely have a strictly west coast American accent, but he might use phrases that reflect his father’s English speech patterns. Like “we have done” instead of “yes, we have.”

  5. Chartreuse says:

    I downloaded Spotify just for this. It was delightful! I refuse to read the Heil To spoil anything for me. It was inspo, wonderful and fun and Archie is speaking so well for his age. Of course he’ll have an American accent, right? I really hate those people.. This was awesome. They can suck on whatever lemons they have.

    • Sigmund says:

      Kids are very social and tend to pick up the accents they hear from their friends and the people around them, not just their parents. So yeah, chances are good he’s going to have an American accent. But unless they waited a decade or longer to move, that was likely going to happen whenever they moved to the US.

    • Belli says:

      It’s very likely he’ll have an American accent. At the moment he probably has a mixture of English and American because of Harry (his “new” was a very British pronunciation to me), but once he starts nursery and school he’ll be surrounded by American accents almost entirely.

    • Love says:

      “To George & Sandra, trust us when we tell you that no matter what life throws at you, love Wins!!!”

      Drop that mic Meg‼️

      • Ginger says:

        And then Harry echoed and said “Love always wins” No matter what they throw at this couple it just makes them stronger. The haters are so pressed lol

      • Myra says:

        That was just so thoughtful of her and beautifully said. I enjoyed the podcast, especially the lovely Archie at the end. Looking forward to where they take it next. Their message is really just one of hope and kindness.

    • PrincessK says:

      If they want him to have a British accent they need to hire a British nanny. Lol!

      I knew some English children who were living in an African country and they had an Indian nanny and had spoke English with Indian accents.

      I also knew a young girl from South Korea who spoke English with an American accent which her mother said she got through watching Cartoon Network.

  6. Digital Unicorn says:

    Archie is soo cute – he’s a toddler and will mimic his parents so the RR should STFU and of course he will have a cute American accent as he lives there now and is surrounded by other Americans. They are just butt hurt as always that they are not kept in the loop with these things now – reap what you sow people, reap what you sow.

    It will be interesting to see what other topics they cover with their podcasts, sounds like they will def cover hot social topics of the day.

    Good luck to them – I think 2021 is going to be a good year for them.

  7. ABritGuest says:

    Ahh I do get the sense that Archie is really Harry’s mini me& they’ll get up to all sorts of mischief together. You could see that when Archie dropped the book in that birthday video and Harry just laughed & Meghan‘s face was like come get your son. Happy Harry has the family he longed for-he deserves. Sad that his relatives& their staff seemingly couldn’t support that.

    I loved Stacey Abrams, Chef Jose,George the poet, the poem in the end & Uk teen Christine. I thought they mentioned at the beginning talking to teachers, front line workers etc so shame those voices didn’t seem to feature or maybe they will for a future episode.

    The British rota press & their trolls are pissed! I mean some themes will be eye rolling to the stiff upper lip Brit crowd generally but also think the press are pressed as a panini that there’s this huge interest in Archie that they can’t monetise (wouldn’t be surprised if Archie’s happy new year attracted more intl attention then the Queen’s Christmas speech& certainly got more than Charles’ radio interview also yesterday) and Harry sounds happy which goes against their miserable, kidnapped stories.

    • sunny says:

      I thought their guests were fantastic and I loved how they showcased lesser known people as well as huge celebs(so glad George the Poet got some exposure as I love him).

      It is clear they are still figuring out their style and format however their voices are fantastic for radio. Seriously they have great voices and wonderful chemistry together.

      Also Archie is precious and they sound so happy together. So glad they are living life in their terms and away from the toxicity.

      • Yvette says:

        I loved the podcast and little Archie, but what caught my attention most is Harry’s sexy voice. Man! His voice was made for the airwaves! 🙂

    • Elizabeth Regina says:

      Archie’s few words did more for morale than the Queen’s speech. One of the reasons the BM are mad. They all backed the wrong horse in this race and they are determined to cripple the winning horse.

      • BnLurkN4eva says:

        Yes, they absolutely backed the wrong horse, but the way that system is set up, they had no choice but to support the monarchy if they wish that BRF/BM relationship to continue. Trouble is, they played it all wrong, they could have edged their bets by supporting both. It was clear very early on that the combo of H/M was blockbuster, a smart press would have course corrected long before it became unbearable for the duo. They are so used to getting their way though that they refused to back down and regroup. Me personally, I am thrilled H/M left that country and are going it on their own. They are building a legacy that will benefit their immediate family not the BRF and that’s the real win.

    • VS says:

      @Sunny —–I agree; I love the mix of people they invited. Archie was super sweet; I think he has an American accent and he obviously copies everything his dad does; even his laugh

      I was so pleased to hear Stacey ; she is one of my heroes. I know this is selfish but I hope she does not take a seat in the Biden administration but instead continues to work on voting rights. We need people like her on the ground

      • BnLurkN4eva says:

        @VS, I also love Stacey Adams and was so deflated when the loss the Governor race in GA. She’s just an amazing and inspiring lady no wonder she and Meghan apparently clicked. I too hope that Stacey remains on her present course and work on voter rights. She has such passion for it and I rather someone like her heading that that to see her get bogged down in politics in Washington.

      • VS says:

        “I rather someone like her heading that that to see her get bogged down in politics in Washington.” —– exactly!!! 100% agree

      • Edna says:

        I would love to see Stacy (or someone like her) chair the DNC. Tom Perez needs to go. The DNC needs someone with Stacy’s ability to help Dems increase their representation in Congress.

      • BnLurkN4eva says:

        That’s Stacey Abrams – sorry.

      • VS says:

        @BnLurkN4eva — no worries at all; I knew whom you were talking about

      • Courtney B says:

        @Edna DNC chair is what I hope for too. I’d originally thought HUD because she’d spoken out during her gubernatorial race on issues relating to her own bankruptcy and such but came to think she’d be much more impactful at the DNC.

      • Dee Kay says:

        I hope Abrams runs for GA Governor again!!!!!! I think she was robbed last time. Next time w higher turnout she can finally get sworn in to the office she wants.

  8. Rae says:

    It just makes us (The Uk) look even more pathetic when the media are getting their panties in a twist over a young toddler, who lives in America with an American mum, actually sounding like…an American.

    I genuinely think it comes back to snobbery; they think the British accent is better and having an American twang is “below” a member of the RF. Utter wankers, TBH.

    • Ang says:

      Archie sounded fully British to me. “Neeyuoo” instead of “noo”.

    • Elizabeth Regina says:

      To the press it doesn’t matter how Archie sounds. They simply want Harry to dump him and Meghan. The more Harry shows that he is a happy hands on father and devoted husband, the more it enrages the tabloids who are committed to harassing this family for the long haul. The positive though is that all the outrage is giving the Sussexes’ ventures more PR, visibility and engagement from those who hate watch/hate listen/hate tweet.

      • VS says:

        @Elizabeth Regina — I know you are right but people expecting H to dump M&A are insane. There is no way, the H we have seen and heard lately will ever abandon his kid……

        “The positive though is that all the outrage is giving the Sussexes’ ventures more PR, visibility and engagement from those who hate watch/hate listen/hate tweet.”

        I would love to understand those who hate follow/watch people they dislike. What benefit does anyone ever get from it? I see the same thing with the Kardashian/Jenner… isn’t it better to do what some did with Vogue by cancelling their subscription instead of hate tweeting?

      • Elizabeth Regina says:

        @VS Ignoring the Sussexes would be the rational thing to do. However haters are never rational. They think that the more hateful noise they generate, the more the objects of their hate will sink. Thankfully in these days of algorithms and engagement, that noise is precisely what sells. The Kardashians realised this and made it work for them. The Sussexes have far more than haters. They also have very powerful supporters that range from the sussexsquad to people like Oprah, Tyler Perry, Serena Williams, Sir Elton John and Army Veterans. The BM and RF screwed up big time.

      • Otaku fairy says:

        @Elizabeth Regina: You’re so right about all of that. It really is counter-productive but they don’t care, because a lot of them are convinced that they’re proving they’re wiser/saner/less vapid than the masses by doing it. In Meghan Markle’s case, they love to tell you their demonization of her over the dumbest shit, over and over again, is about how they’re too real to start giving people passes for race and gender, and how they’re the anti-stan who just doesn’t lend time or energy to those people. There’s a lot of obsessive, “I’m never racist or sexist, I’m just tough and I’ll prove it to you by being extra vicious with everyone the right is already after” energy going on with them.

      • VS says:

        @Elizabeth Regina — agree with you that it would be more effective to ignore because algos do not care about positive or negative tone at the moment. You see it with Youtube and downvotes, or people specifically looking for Meghan’s name or HRC or Michelle or AOC or etc…..just to write hateful comments and letting you know how they don’t care about them….jeezzzzzzz
        I read something funny on twitter: someone complaining H&M are attention seeking while giving them the attention they supposedly seek 🙂

      • Ginger says:

        One thing I noticed yesterday was that the ones that hated the podcast are the same ones that hate everything they do for the same reason. They are either Meghan haters or MAGA. They received WAY more praise than hate. The hate is small but they are loud. What’s important is that they listened. That’s all Spotify cares about and that’s why Harry and Meghan have such amazing deals. The haters can keep contributing to their wealth.

      • Tessa says:

        Harry will never abandon his wife and son. And he will ignore the requests on social media and in the media to “return home” when he is home.

  9. equality says:

    The podcast is trending on Twitter and, of course, all over the news so the BM can’t stand it. They have already been also accused of nauseating royal fans and trying to outdo Kate because she was the first royal to be on a podcast and was SO inspiring. Harry sounds the same to me as on other recordings.

    • Amy Bee says:

      But Kate wasn’t the first royal to be on a podcast. It was Harry when talked Bryony Gordon on her mental health podcast in 2017.

      • equality says:

        I should have known it was the usual Kate embiggening and researched that.

      • BnLurkN4eva says:

        I was about to say this but you beat me to it @Amy Bee. If Kate does anything before Meghan they completely forget that any other royal may have done that thing before Kate and crow over Meghan copying Kate. The desperation of some of these people is just out of this world. Podcasting is kind of new, which is likely why Meghan didn’t appear on one previously. But how can she be copying when it’s her own podcast and not just her appearing as a guest?

      • Genessee says:

        Podcasting is not new. It’s been popular with niche web content creators since around 2006. It just exploded this year due to COVID.

      • Lorelei says:

        @Genessee not that this really matters either way, lol, but I think it exploded with Serial…so 2015, I think? That’s when I and pretty much everyone I know started listening to lots of different podcasts on a regular basis.

        I know they were around far longer than that for a more niche audience, but Serial is what made them mainstream, imo.

        In any case, the fact that the Sussexes have one now is going to introduce a whole new audience for them, which is great. I can wait to see the ratings for their first episode!

      • PrincessK says:

        I am waiting to see what the Cambridge’s will announce in the New Year…..they must be feeling so mad.

    • ABritGuest says:

      It’s funny as in their rush to make it a royal competition they conveniently forget that Harry did a podcast in 2017- two years before Kate’s ‘ground breaking’ one.

      Also as someone pointed out on SM, interesting they had some big names on this podcast but none of it leaked in advance. Must be nice for them to be working with discreet professionals. Also shows again how little likes of Katie Nicholls or the other royal reporters with their sources know about what they are up to until a palace is involved.

    • Nic919 says:

      I suppose Kate’s podcast on mental health was also ground breaking in that she publicly shaded her sister in law about her choices on how to handle pregnancy and the birth of her child and confirmed for us that the bitchy look at the commonwealth service was more than a one time thing.

      • Mads says:

        Whaaaa?

        What the heck was I smoking that I missed that story.

      • Amy Bee says:

        Yeah, that podcast was all about Kate showing that she was a better mother than Meghan. She even talked about how important the mental health was during pregnancy and that it could effect the baby, which was astonishing given she and her husband did all they could to make Meghan’s life miserable during her pregnancy.

      • February-Pisces says:

        This is exactly why I cancel any “work” kate has ever done for child development or whatever it is she pretends to care about. She goes on about being a mother and caring for children, yet has no problem participating in a bullying campaign of her pregnant SIL who was 37 and carrying her first baby. She might hate Meghan, but she did not give AF about the baby she was carrying who is innocent. She did not give a damn about her own nephews life, and I have seen bot comments being racist to archie, bots they pay for. Everything about Kate is fake including her interest in children.

    • BayTampaBay says:

      I must give Kate credit as at least Kate did not make a racist joke about a pizza delivery person.

      I would like to think that a racist joke about a pizza delivery person would be nauseating to all royal fans of the British Royal Family.

      • lanne says:

        It isn’t. We are seeing who the fans of the RF really are. These are people who approve of hierarchy by birth— how can that not include race? Being racist toward delivery drivers is the natural order of things in their minds. Meghan should be cleaning a palace, not living in one.

  10. MJM says:

    Nice post Kaiser!

    Re tabloid reaction: Am I the only one who thinks that trying to detect an accent on a toddler learning to talk is pointless? I didn’t detect any particular accent – just a baby clearly speaking a few words.

    It’s also telling that the tabloids have nothing better to write about than an anti-American piece about Harry’s accent. Just bonkers.

  11. Belli says:

    Archie was so so precious! And so articulate already! And his little giggle, oh my goodness! His accent will probably end up being a mix of Harry and Meghan’s until he starts school.

    The podcast was really good, with some great guests especially Stacy Abrams and George the Poet. Every single new podcast goes through some tweaks in format in the early stages until it settles, so I’d expect exactly the same here.

    But how amazing is it that they had all these fantastic guests on and not a single leak!

    • BnLurkN4eva says:

      I am shocked and thrilled it didn’t leak, which signals that they are now working with professionals who knows how to handle their business. I thought the podcast was great on the technical side, but I also know they will be fine tuning and retooling for awhile until they find what exactly works best for them. I’ve become a ardent podcast listener the last 2 years and I’ve seen many podcast change from the time they begin to when they find their stride. H/M voices are the real star of their podcast because they both have incredible voices for this medium.

      • Nyro says:

        This! All of those people and not one leak. And it’s not only the guests who were discreet but so were their teams! That’s A whole lot of people who know how to hold water. Hollywood and the social justice activist community have shown themselves to be incredibly professional and polished in a way that the royal establishment never ever has. The Royal family could never pull off something like this, and yet they look down on entertainment industry people and activists. The royals are a complete joke, totally unprofessional, unimaginative, and leak like an broken faucet.

  12. Cecilia says:

    You know what pleases me? Soon very soon, when brexit is in full swing, the UK and their press will become irrelevant whereas the US press will continue to have the same level of relevance. And since the majority of the US press ignores the other royals, Meghan and harry will have the floor to themselves🥰

  13. greenmonster says:

    Archie’s giggle is everything.

  14. Maevo says:

    Omg Archie so adorable! And very smart of them to put a little of him out there when they know people want that, but it doesn’t feel exploitative or overexposed, more that they are excited to share their love of him.

    I wish the podcast had a few more funny moments to cut all the earnestness and the heaviness that was 2020 and also that they had added some of their own input. Though Meg’s “trust us loves wins” felt very pointed!! Overall I think they did a good job and I’m interested to see where the podcast goes next.

    With the accent stuff – of course Archie will have an American accent, he’s being raised in America!! Also with Harry it’s only natural that his accent will mellow a bit when he’s in a different country and surrounded by American accents! God the tabs are starved for things to criticize them for. Also shows how smart they are to limit pictures of Archie because could you imagine what horrible things they would say about how he looks?! *shudder*

    • Nyro says:

      It’s so hilarious to see the British media slam Harry for supposedly losing his accent yet bash immigrants of color in the UK for speaking with a foreign accent. So Harry should hold onto his posh English accent and shouldn’t sound more American or use American colloquialisms yet they slam the immigrant Indian grandmother in London for for her heavily accented English. The racism, anti-Americanism, and hypocrisy is astounding.

    • HeyJude says:

      They’ve been so smart with Archie’s exposure for sure. It’s nice that they know there’s interest and give a little nod, but nothing in any way that’s harmful to his psyche or worldview. Like the traditional Royal show pony walks with their kids past packs of photogs.

      And his face has been obscured enough by only being seen in older photos, certain angles, or on audio so retains his privacy and can’t be tracked as easily by prying paparazzi.

      He can just be a kid, what a novel idea, eh?!

  15. L84Tea says:

    He has the sweetest little voice! The way he said “new” was totally British, so I have no idea what the stupid media is even talking about.

    • Keen Kate says:

      I’m English and Archie definitely said ‘news’ in an English accent/way. His giggling afterwards was adorable.

    • HeatherC says:

      I am born and raised in America. When I was a baby up until pre school, my babysitters were my Russian grandparents. And though I regrettably speak very little Russian (I plan to change that) sometimes, on certain words, my inflection and pronunciation is very reminiscent of a Russian accent. Just because I was exposed to it so often during my early language development. I expect Archie will be the same. His accent will primarily be American but you’ll see, every now and again, a bit of British pronunciation or inflection or unique vocabulary come out.

      • PrincessK says:

        Very true, what you are exposed to at an early age stays with you. If they want a British accent they should get an English nanny.

  16. Eleonor says:

    Waiting for pearl clutch and courtiers to step in 5-4-3-2…

  17. Oatmeal says:

    She needs to just gone ahead and take this L, admit she effed up and muzzle Alec and hunker down with her 100 kids and low for a while

  18. Gail says:

    Archie has me wrapped around his little finger. I can only imagine what he does to his parents. Love how Harry called Meghan baby, or at least I think he was referring to her . These two are still mad about each other and I am so there for it . The British media needs to do one already. Get over it . He chose his black beautiful American to be his princess , and he is never ever giving her up

  19. Harper says:

    I really liked it. I don’t know what the standards for podcasts are? To me, I love hearing H&M’s voices and hearing the viewpoints of those they invite on. We all have been on our own individual journeys during this pandemic and I enjoy hearing the variety of experiences so the podcast went fast for me. LOVED hearing Archie … they sound so happy.

  20. Lizzie says:

    I thought it was great. They have wonderful voices and Archie was adorable. I’m interested to hear more from them.

  21. Snuffles says:

    First impressions- honestly wish it was longer and hope future episodes are. I thought it was very well edited and I loved the diversity of guest, American, British and other international guests. They both have perfect radio voices and sound very soothing to listen to. I think they did a good job of setting the tone for what they want to do with the podcast. I wonder how frequently they will publish shows. Because, like Kaiser said, it does seem like a LOT of work!

    They sound SO happy together. Archie’s giggles had me MELTING and I could see why his parents would slay dragons for him. Because the mere thought of that joyous little boy being smothered by The Firm’s ecosystem, being forced to dull his shine in favor of the heir, being used as a shield to cover is the rest of the family’s screw ups and being subjected to the British media’s evil machinations makes me RAGE. I can only imagine how his parents feel.

    I’m also ready to completely ignore the British media’s constant pissyness over Harry leaving and being happy and successful. I am SO SICK of hearing about this “review”. I REALLY hope Harry and Meghan put out a statement in the new year making it crystal clear that they will not be returning as working royals in ANY capacity and will only return to the UK for their personal business and will only interact with the royals as family only. And will continue interacting with the media on their own terms.

    • Mignionette says:

      So true. That family is so toxic and behind. It is not made for any kind of real human development and eventually that repression of expression rears itself in the most toxic of ways.

      Charles hankering for a mother figure like partner for decades whilst marrying a woman whom he regarded as nothing more than a human incubator.

      Andy – nuff said

      Edward – repressing his sexuality

      Margaret – acting out and becoming increasingly haughty as she aged.

      Betty’s immeasurable indifference verging on cruelty to human suffering,

      etc etc

    • Amy Bee says:

      Knowing that Archie is a happy boy, makes you realise why Harry wanted out of the Royal Family. He knew what was in store for Archie if they had stayed.

    • lanne says:

      I agree—when you think of the harm the British media (and likely the royals) planned for that baby—it would be vicious, and the RF would have been silent, just as they were when he was called a monkey. Any downtown Abby watchers remember the scene when the nanny bullied sybils daughter while fawning over Lady Mary’s son? That’s the RF in a nutshell. They would be behind the scenes whispering foul things to Archie while holding up the Cambridge kids as perfect English whatever. The nanny only got fired because she was caught by the countess and fired. Yes, that’s fiction, but it demonstrates how much class culture permeates British society. No parent should accept that for their child. Harry and Meghan were right to leave.

      • Snuffles says:

        @lanne Exactly! I have no doubt the snide remarks were already beginning and it got back to Harry just like the snide comments about Meghan did. And, come to think of it, remember how one of Archie’s nannies was fired in the middle of the night? I wonder if she was caught doing something like that. Bullying Archie. 😡

      • BnLurkN4eva says:

        I remember that story line on DA and I remember how disgusted I was hoping that it was just fiction and surely something like that wouldn’t happen in real life. After watching the saga of H/M from the beginning, I am now convinced that these things do actually happen in real life. How would H/M ever be able to trust Archie alone with Harry’s family member? They know that their child would not be safe and took the necessary steps to protect him and I say, good on them.

      • Nyro says:

        Reminds me of the stories about how the Queen Mother would spend special time with William, making a point to exclude Harry. Or how she’d have both of the boys over and instruct the butler to bring William candy and other treats while Harry got nothing. Sad.

  22. Mignionette says:

    Archie’s little voice was adorable.

    He has good diction for a 19 month old toddler and he’s at that stage where he’s soaking everything up and wants to be just like Daddy. The mimicking of Harry’s ‘New’ was so cute. He has a good ear.

    You can tell he’s obsessed with their phone’s as toddlers often are, bc Megan teased him about it.

  23. Ginger says:

    I absolutely loved the podcast and thought it was well done for their first full episode. I can’t wait for future episodes. As for Harry’s voice, he sounds the same but less “royal Harry” and more just causal Harry. He didn’t have his work voice, if that makes sense. I love that. I love that we will get more of their personalities in this podcast. Archie was the cherry on top. He was adorable and has the sweetest voice. You can tell they are over the moon with their son.
    Harry is also clearly in his element with the podcast. You can tell he loves it.

    Of course the British media hate it. They have been trying to sell the “Harry is miserable in CA and desperately wants to be the third wheel to Will and Kate again” narrative for months and this podcast blew that out of the water. Harry is clearly happy and so in love with his wife and son. Sorry haters!

  24. TheOriginalMia says:

    Archie is adorable. He most definitely gets into it with Harry and that’s wonderful. They are a cute little family unit.

  25. paddingtonjr says:

    Archie is adorable! The RR just had to find something to nitpick, but, really, dissecting a toddler’s accent? It will change as he comes moves about in the world; like all of us, his accent will be influenced by his family and surroundings.

    It is great to hear how happy H&M sound, especially with all the sh!t they had to deal with while in England and still have to deal with (although with some much-needed distance) in California. Luckily, they don’t seem to be concerned with the outside negativity and are living a great life.

  26. Zazu says:

    Archie was the highlight and saved the last few days of 2020! Pure joy.
    I find some of the earnest positivity a bit saccharine and cheesey, but that’s my own taste. I know connection and compassion are their guiding principles and brand, and if others find it inspiring, that’s lovely. Perhaps they will tone that down for a non-holiday pod episode? Just the insights, as Kaiser said, could be a bit less frequent, or long. But great voices and presence!

    • bamaborn says:

      Yes, listened on repeat. 2020 has been h*llish, but, that little boys’ voice brought a smile to my face.

  27. Liz version 700 says:

    Such a nice start to their podcasts. Archie is precious! The giggle melted my heart.

  28. tee says:

    I don’t like podcasts, generally, but I enjoyed this. It was very well done; I loved the original music; it obvi took a bunch of time and effort. Very sappy for sure, but that’s consistent with the Sussexes lol

    • Lizzie says:

      Even when I like them I drift away, either fall asleep or start daydreaming. I liked this one, don’t get me wrong, it’s just not my favorite format. Same with audio books,

      • Dee Kay says:

        I dislike the podcast format but I forwarded to the end of this one to hear Archie and was thrilled at the sound of his cute little baby voice and giggles!!!! They sound like such a warm, happy, loving trio.

      • Thirtynine says:

        I find podcasts and audio hard to listen to, as well. Glad it’s not just me. I’ll give Harry and Meghan’s a go, but glad I got to hear Archie’s little bit straight away.

  29. MsIam says:

    I thought it was wonderful. It was sweet but not too sweet where it verges on Hallmark movie territory. I had a feeling Archie would pop in and he sounded adorable. As for his accent, he may sound like Grace Kelly’s children. In some interviews they sound like typical Americans, some they don’t.

  30. Prince Harry was right when he said during Baby Archie’s birth announcement that “this little thing is absolutely to die for.” Archie looks like he’s going to grow up articulate and confident.

  31. Likeyoucare says:

    Good job archie.
    I can understand clearly what he said.
    Now, i hope his aunt can learn to talk like him so that the british people can understand what she said.

  32. Moxylady says:

    Omg that was the cutest thing in the world. Thank you for the smiles Archie

  33. CommentingBunny says:

    I liked the podcast! I thought it would be too earnest and sappy but I welled up a few times, and the poem at the end GOT me. I needed that cry. And toddler giggles to top it off? I hit play out of curiosity, but I’ll definitely tune in again.

  34. Alibeebee says:

    Archie was a highlight .. his little voice so adorable! and that giggle . I melted just a little!

  35. one of the Marys says:

    I enjoyed it and lord knows we need some inspiration and optimism after this terrible year. A couple of thoughts.
    I appreciate how they network, build relationships, connections and continue to build on and benefit from those relationships. It’s very smart and professional but also reciprocal in a way that i imagine is not how it’s done in the hierarchy of the firm. I think it’s novel to the firm to build relationships this way, they don’t see the benefit or need to network.
    Also I think the British tabloids are playing to a smaller and smaller audience while the Sussexes are playing to a larger and larger audience which is why there’s such cognitive dissonance in the coverage. But apparently the media and royal family are really committed to their stance that Meghan and Harry are traitors, they don’t seem to be able to pivot if their lives depended on it, it’s so bizarre as an outsider looking in

  36. BnLurkN4eva says:

    I love it so much. I am all about the feels so this was right up my alley and had me tearing up here and there especially at the poem and the song. When H/M said love wins – love always wins, that really made me just cheered for them both while wishing that love will continue to win for their little family. Archie’s little voice at the end was just the exact right topping to wrap it all up in a nice little bow. I love that H/M are protecting his privacy while giving their family’s fans a little bit of non exploitative nuggets to show how much they appreciate the support.

  37. CatWomen says:

    I would look forward to interviews with quests that are live and spontaneous. These make the best podcasts or, it’s what I like. I’ll keep listening to see how they progress, definitely tons of potential fun with us stuff Tbd.

  38. truthSF says:

    Archie mimicking his parents and his father’s giggle was such a delight to hear! I’m glad they’re together, safe and far away from that toxic institution!! Archie and any future sibling will have a positive upbringing thanks to his parents compassion and conviction!!!

  39. Shoo fly says:

    Re: Harry’s accent and William’s accent, there was tons of articles discussing Kate’s put on RP accent discussing how both Harry and William did not speak with the RO accent but rather some Eton-ized form of Estuary English because Eton essentially teaches that to make their posho graduates blend in with the plebes. This also came up with the Cambridge kids’ accents in the Attenborough clips. So once again this is lies.

    • PrincessK says:

      I am sorry but poor Kate’s accent is pure torture, and recently they have been getting her to change it. She must be so confused and I think being trained to speak in a fake accent to fit in with the upper classes has actually had a negative impact on her ability to communicate and speak in public without notes or reading.

  40. Linda says:

    I was surprised when the song at the end played and I got goosebumps. And Archie laughing made my day. He’s a happy boy!

  41. Le4Frimaire says:

    I really liked the podcast and hearing from all the different guests, some unexpected like Stacy Abrams. The poem by Husssain Manawer made me cry, it was so good. It really was a mood lift, especially after such a bleak and stressful year. The end was cute as well with Archie. Both him and Harry have the same laugh. I think going forward the podcast will highlight one topic or cause, not bring together all these voices compiled for this special. Between this, Archewell and Netflix, they really are doing a lot. Seems a lot of the UK tabloids are upset because it was well received and how dare they ask for privacy, when we hear three words from their child, lol. Anyway, thoroughly enjoyed it, they sounded great and very much at ease.

  42. adream says:

    H&M have hit the nail on the head with this. The intro to the podcast was a 100 times more inspiring and relevant than the queen’s Christmas address. I think they would still have a very large audience if it was only on special occasions every month or two and likely have a team of professionals setting it all up for them. They have setup the podcast so well that it doesn’t have to be weekly – quality over quantity.

  43. Flying Fish says:

    Little Archie’s pronunciation is better than some adults, more specifically his 38 year old aunt in law!

  44. Winter Day says:

    Honestly, the podcast could use a little more editing. However, considering it’s their first attempt, M&H did an amazing job. I really enjoyed the overall theme and felt uplifted after listening. They accomplished their goal. I am looking forward to the next one.

  45. GuestwithCat says:

    Thank you for doing a post on this and linking to the post with Archie in it. I don’t have Spotify. I enjoyed hearing Archie with his parents. 2019 was hard on our family due to losing loved ones, so we were so excited to ring in 2020. Then 2020 told 2019, “Hold my beer.”

    So hearing little Archie wish us a Happy New Year and giggling as he did was such a gift. I miss my daughter’s toddler years sometimes, so it’s fun to peek in on Archie from time to time to remember what little ones are like at that stage.

    The Sussexes seem like such a warm, close, happy family. I hope they have a Happy Nyooo Year, too. 😆

  46. Donna B. says:

    🤗🤗🤗. Archie is mimicking Harry. Those two are going to be really close (both earth signs). Archie’s a Daddy’s Boy. 🥰😊

  47. Thirtynine says:

    How could anyone hear that and not be smiling?! What a sweetheart!

  48. SenseOfTheAbsurd says:

    I’m in NZ where royal stories are in all the ladymags/gossip mags, and I remember stories from the 90s, whilst Diana was still alive, wittering on about how William and Harry had estuary accents, not super-posh accents. And now the DM expects us to believe all this nonsense about him suddenly not speaking like the Queen? Nobody speaks like the Queen.

    • Likeyoucare says:

      What do you mean nobody talk like the queen?
      Please respect kate effort copying the queen talk, clothes and ceo capability.
      Kate needs to be respected.
      Long live queen kate. Hihi

  49. Dunnoboutthat says:

    Baby Archie’s laugh is everything! Love it 🥰

  50. blunt talker says:

    My heart melted with joy hearing little Archie giggle and speak a few words- I truly appreciate how Meghan and Harry are slowly letting Archie emerge into the world of media because there is no way he will be able to totally avoid it-Kudos to Archie’s parents for pacing how he will be a part of this new venture. The warm vibes from this podcast makes me grin from ear to ear. HAPPY NEW YEAR AND CONTINUED BLESSINGS TO THE SUSSEX FAMILY1111

  51. Oatmeal says:

    Good lord, when did Blind Gossip become a member of the BRF media payroll???

    I didnt realize the vitriol BG had for Meghan until someone mentioned it in the comments for the Spotify deal, but good lord, 2 Blinds about Meghan on one day , one lumping her with Shamlaria Baldwin and another about money baby and “cashing in on Archie”

    And the people commenting are just as deluded as the racists Brits on the Fail

    Like literally there have been like 4 photos and one video and now one audio clip of Archie since he was born .

    4 media publishings of Archie in nearly 2 years and that’s cashing in???? Where they do that at???

    Not to mention all the dumb comments about “nobody care about your baby!!”

    No sh!* archie isn’t nearly as big a media target in the US as he was in Britain, that’s why they came to the US dummies

    And of COURSE all the comments are “Harry cant be happy, Harry is miserable, it’s not what he wanted but it’s what he chose ”

    I cant decide if BG is worse than Dlisted or not

    At least with Dlisted you get the sense those folks hate just to hate

    With BG it seriously sounds like Anistan loonies and Pattinson stans during the height of the aughts, good lord.

  52. RoyalBlue says:

    this was the first time i listened to a podcast. i really liked it, and had a kind of band of brothers feel to it when people were speaking their piece. when sir elton john said he was on tour when it happened and had underlying illnesses it hit me. it humanized him. love him and saw him on one leg of the yellow brick road tour but this showed him up as a husband, father and person with illnesses just like us.

    icing on the cake was the new year greetings from prince archie with his diction putting me to shame. i went on twitter and the rabid ones are easily triggered when people call him prince so i vow to do so from now on.

  53. Abby says:

    I haven’t listened yet, but that clip with Archie. AHH! It just keeps playing on repeat and makes me so happy.

  54. Caitriona O Reilly says:

    Just read an article on de Irish Times re their first Podcast , v positive, they very much liked it.!!!

  55. Case says:

    I’m late commenting on this, but I’m so excited for this podcast and Archie is THE CUTEST.

  56. Sass says:

    Omg his lil baby voice 🥺 they all sound so happy 🥰