Meghan Markle’s new podcast is a “recipe for failure” unless her new team make key changes to its existing format, a celebrity PR specialist has warned.

The Duchess of Sussex secured a partnership with Lemonada Media after Spotify’s exclusive deal with Prince Harry and Meghan’s Archewell productions ended mid-2023, with the couple issuing just one 12-episode series.

Under the new deal, Lemonada will distribute the first season of Markle’s ‘Archetypes’ series for all audio platforms and then the company will develop a new, as-yet-untitled, original podcast series hosted by the Duchess of Sussex.

Speaking on behalf of Betfred, Celebrity PR Specialist Kayley Cornelius exclusively told Express.co.uk: “For Meghan Markle’s new podcast to see more success than Archetypes, she and her team are going to have to bring something seriously fresh to the table.”

She explained ‘Archetypes’, which saw guests such as singer Mariah Carey, TV host Trevor Noah, and actor Deepika Padukone star as guests, “lacked a solid marketing strategy” to keep listeners engaged on a weekly basis. Kayley added: “The success of Meghan’s new podcast will depend on a variety of factors such as the marketing, guests, and topics discussed.”

The celebrity PR specialist explained how a novel approach is needed for the podcast to gain traction. She explained: “Simply rebranding the same format under a different name is likely a recipe for failure. The podcast industry is booming, but while there’s a lot of demand for this new form of media, the main reason people tune in is because they are invested and feel connected to the host.”

Kayley added: “For this new podcast to stand any chance of succeeding, Meghan will have to find a way to connect to her audience more, or perhaps recruit the help of an experienced co-host to help add structure and extra personality to the show.”

Archetypes was originally billed as a “podcast where we investigate, dissect, and subvert the labels that try to hold women back”.

When the royal duo’s Spotify and Archewell Audio deal ended, Harry and Meghan’s production company said they had mutually agreed to part ways, but there were soon concerns that the streaming giant had been unimpressed with the couple’s lack of output.

In a separate podcast, Bill Simmons, who is head of podcast innovation and monetisation, criticised the pair, calling the royal couple “f****** grifters”.

On February 13, Lemonada Media announced its new partnership with the Duchess of Sussex, with the platform set to launch her newest work in 2025. However, the title of the podcast and details on what it’s about haven’t been revealed as of yet.

Meghan also issued a statement to express her excitement about the new podcast, stating: “I’m proud to now be able to share that I am joining the brilliant team at Lemonada to continue my love of podcasting. Being able to support a female founded company with a roster of thought provoking and highly entertaining podcasts is a fantastic way to kick off 2024.”

She continued: “Our plan to re-release Archetypes so that more people can now have access to it, as well as launching a dynamic new podcast are well in the works…

“I’m so eager to be able to share it soon, and am overjoyed to be joining the Lemonada family.”