Meghan Markle's New Podcast Reportedly Has the Royal Aides "Worried" About What She Might Say

Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, released her highly anticipated podcast series, Archetypes, on Tuesday, and it's already a hit. The premiere with guest (and Markle's close friend) Serena Williams topped the Spotify charts as its most-listened-to podcast in several countries, dethroning the platform's popular shows after just its first episode.

In the Archetypes teaser trailer, Markle says the series will "dissect, explore and subvert the labels that try to hold women back." The inaugural episode tackled motherhood, success, and the double standard of "having it all" in a conversation with Williams, including a candid moment in which the tennis pro said she felt guilty competing at the 2018 French Open shortly after her daughter Olympia broke her wrist.

Despite all the fanfare, royal family staff members are not reportedly not happy with the duchess's latest project. According to royals reporter Omid Scobie, Tuesday was a stressful day at Buckingham Palace. "I'm told Buckingham Palace aides were most definitely not keeping calm, nor carrying on after the show's premiere," he wrote. And, the staff is "worried about what else might be shared over the next 12 weeks," according to the royals expert.

After stepping down from the royal family, moving stateside, and doing a bombshell interview with Oprah, Meghan Markle is clearly unafraid to use her voice to critique "the firm" and all the baggage that comes along with the name Windsor. Archetypes is no exception.

In the August 23 podcast episode, the duchess shared a difficult moment during her time as a working royal shortly after the birth of her son Archie. While on an official tour of South Africa in 2019, she and Prince Harry learned that there had been a fire in Archie's nursery. Though the infant was unharmed, the couple was understandably shaken by the news.

"Everyone's in tears, and what do we have to do? Go out and do another official engagement? I said, 'This doesn't make any sense,'" explained Markle in the Archetypes episode.

According to Scobie, the palace has already "pushed back" about this version of events, with royal aides and the British media coming to the crown's defense. Regardless of how the royal staff feels about this portrayal, the early success of Archetypes makes it clear that when Meghan Markle speaks, people listen.