Prince Harry wanted to ‘interview Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump about childhood trauma’ for Spotify podcast

The Duke of Sussex reportedly pitched his ideas to several producers and told them he wanted to speak to controversial men about how their difficult childhoods may have shaped who they became as adults. According to Bloomberg, names mentioned by Prince Harry included Vladimir Putin, Donald Trump, Mark Zuckerburg and Pope Francis.

The Prince’s solo podcast with Spotify was never produced while his wife, Meghan Markle, saw her podcast axed by the music streamer after just one season. For his solo show, Harry is said to have pitched an idea to discuss major societal questions each episode, like religion and climate change.

However, producers raised questions about the practicality of interviewing the likes of Mr Putin, Mr Trump and Mr Zuckerberg, who have not previously discussed childhood trauma openly and were left confused by ideas suggested by the Duke.

The podcast series from Meghan Markle, ‘Archetype’, focussed on ‘labels that try to hold women back". A joint statement from Spotify and Archewell Audio, which is Meghan and Prince Harry’s production firm, said the two were "proud of the series we made together" but they had "mutually agreed to part ways".

In the days following the announcement, Bill Simmons, Head of Podcast Innovation and Monetization at Spotify, condemned the pair in an episode of his own podcast. He said: “The *f***ing grifters. That’s the podcast we should have launched with them.”