Meghan Markle, Prince Harry sign multi-year deal to produce and host podcasts for Spotify

Prince Harry and  Meghan Markle have signed another multi-year deal as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will produce and host podcasts for a streaming service.

As per the agreement, Harry and Meghan's newly formed Archewell Audio will produce programming that 'uplifts and entertains audiences around the world' and features 'diverse perspectives and voices',  Spotify said in a statement.

The financial terms of the couple's new deal were not disclosed.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex's first podcast installment will be a holiday special featuring “stories of hope and compassion” to celebrate the new year, the statement said. Their first complete series is expected next year.

The podcasts will be available free through Spotify, the company that leads the streaming music market. It also offers more than 1.5 million podcast titles such as “The Michelle Obama Podcast” and “Mama Knows Best” by influencer Addison Rae, and reaches more than 320 million active users per month.

Meghan and Harry  said in a joint statement: "What we love about podcasting is that it reminds all of us to take a moment and to really listen, to connect to one another without distraction,"

"With the challenges of 2020, there has never been a more important time to do so, because when we hear each other, and hear each other’s stories, we are reminded of how interconnected we all are," the pair added.

Meghan and Harry previously signed an exclusive multi-year production deal for TV programming with Netflix.

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry, who moved to  US with their infant son Archie this year after stepping back from royal duties, took another step to make a living outside of the royal family.