Daisy Dunn

Englishness vs California dreaming: Meghan and Harry’s Archewell Audio reviewed

Plus: the only thing missing from Emma Barnett's otherwise skilful start to presenting Woman's Hour was humour

Harry and Meghan's new podcast is full of kindness, compassion and bromides. Photo: Samir Hussein / WireImage 
issue 16 January 2021

On Archewell Audio, Harry and Meghan’s new podcast, ‘love wins’, ‘change really is possible’, and ‘the courage and the creativity and the power and the possibility that’s been resting in our bones shakes loose and emerges as our new skin’. There’s no room for Christmas — the first episode dropped as a ‘Holiday Special’ — but there is for kindness, compassion and more than a few bromidic interjections of ‘So true!’

The podcast purports to ‘spotlight diverse perspectives and voices’ and ‘build community through shared experiences, powerful narratives, and universal values’. Turn down the volume and what you’ll actually hear is the most tremendous tussle between Englishness and California dreaming. There are no prizes for guessing which comes out on top.

The contest begins in the trailer, where the Duchess of Sussex encourages her husband to introduce the series, conceding him a point for his ‘really nice’ accent. ‘What, Archewe… Archewell Audio?’ stumbles the Duke.

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