By Page Six | Created at 2025-01-23 16:55:10 | Updated at 2025-01-23 21:09:37
4 hours ago
Meghan Markle’s former staffers for her now-defunct Spotify podcast, “Archetypes,” reportedly had a scathing nickname for the Duchess of Sussex.
UK royal correspondent Neil Sean claimed to Fox News on Thursday that disgruntled employees secretly nicknamed Markle after Joan Crawford’s diva-like character Eva Phillips in the 1955 movie “Queen Bee.”
Sean alleged that co-workers “decided to christen” Markle with the name Eva “as a warning signal to let people know that she was either arriving or on the warpath.”
Page Six has reached out to Markle’s rep for comment on the unverified claim.
Sean said those “who worked on her ill-fated podcast” used the moniker as an insult.
“This wasn’t an engaging pet nickname. The nickname came from the 1955 camp classic ‘Queen Bee’ starring the ultimate diva … herself — Joan Crawford,” he said.
“This is because, like the Joan character, she stung her victims to pieces. This is exactly how staff felt about working alongside [Markle].”
Eva is described as a “Southern socialite whose manipulation and ruthlessness ruins the lives of everyone around her,” according to TV Guide.
Sean said his source confirmed Markle, 43, had no idea the name was being used behind her back.
The journalist claimed staffers found the duchess “really difficult to deal with” due to her “mood swings.” She was also described as “quite tough and bossy.”
“[Staffers] decided to [give her] the nickname of that character… She was high camp without realizing it,” he said.
Sean alleged that Markle also would only speak to a specific top-ranking employee at Spotify.
“When that person is not around, they have to be reminded that they are dealing with somebody who is a duchess and, more importantly, a member of the British royal family,” he reported. “This worked at the beginning as people were … beguiled by Meghan’s presence. But it quickly wore off when she became demanding … clearly forgetting her struggling actress days.”
Markle’s husband, Prince Harry, also reportedly received a not-so-positive nickname from staffers.
Sean alleged that the Duke of Sussex, 40, was known around the office as “Tim Nice But Dim,” referring to the British comedy program “Tim Nice But Dim’s Guide to Being a Bloody Nice Bloke.”
“[Like Meghan], he’s unaware of the moniker,” the journo shared.
But not everyone had a bad experience with Markle on “Archetypes.” Producer Jane Marie described the former actress as “just a lovely, genuine person” in an interview with Vanity Fair published Jan. 17.
The Archewell Foundation co-founders parted ways with Spotify in 2023, nearly three years after signing a blockbuster $20 million deal with the streaming service.
Spotify and Archewell Audio shared in a joint statement that they had “mutually agreed to part ways” and were “proud of the series [they] made together.”
However, sources told Page Six at the time that the “Suits” alum had failed to deliver enough content to warrant the pricey contract.
Markle released only 12 episodes before the show was scrapped. Notable guests she interviewed included Mindy Kaling, Margaret Cho, Serena Williams, Paris Hilton and Jenny Slate.
Despite the rumors of a rocky work environment, Markle signed on to create another podcast with Lemonada Media last February.
The American Riviera Orchard founder also launched a Netflix cooking series that was scheduled to premiere earlier this month but was pushed to a later date due to the California wildfires that broke out Jan. 7. “With Love, Meghan” will now premiere March 4.
