Meghan Markle to give keynote speech at SXSW 2024

Meghan Markle to give keynote speech at SXSW 2024

Meghan Markle has secured her next gig.

The “Suits” alum will participate in a keynote session at South by Southwest (SXSW) alongside Katie Couric and Brooke Shields on Friday.

The panel discussion, titled “Breaking Barriers, Shaping Narratives: How Women Lead On and Off the Screen,” will also feature Peoplism diversity equity and inclusion consultant Nancy Wang Yuen.

The “Suits” alum will take part in a discussion titled “Breaking Barriers, Shaping Narratives: How Women Lead On and Off the Screen.” SplashNews.com Katie Couric will also sit on the panel. Getty Images

”Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, Katie Couric, Brooke Shields, Nancy Wang Yuen and [moderator] Errin Haines are the perfect finishing touch to eight days of remarkable keynote speakers,” SXSW co-president and chief programming officer Hugh Forrest said in a statement Monday.

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“We are so honored to host this distinguished group on International Women’s Day for a significant discussion on the importance of representation in media and entertainment.”

A description of the discussion at the 2024 festival noted that it will focus on social media “creating an often dangerous environment which has led to serious mental health issues for teenage girls in particular.”

The keynote, also featuring Brooke Shields, has been described as “a significant discussion on the importance of representation in media and entertainment.” Getty Images The conversation takes place on International Women’s Day. Getty Images

The news comes after Markle, 42, announced she inked a new podcast deal with Lemonada Media.

“I’m proud to now be able to share that I am joining the brilliant team at Lemonada to continue my love of podcasting,” she said in February, eight months after parting ways with Spotify.

“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 added.


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“Our plan to re-release [my podcast] ‘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.”

Sources previously told Page Six that Markle’s Spotify deal had been axed because she failed to produce enough content to justify her $20 million paycheck.

It comes a few weeks after the “Suits” alum inked a new podcast deal. AFP via Getty Images “I am joining the brilliant team at Lemonada to continue my love of podcasting,” she said last month. Getty Images

She released only 12 episodes of “Archetypes” in the three years since she signed the deal.

Both Spotify and Archewell said in a joint statement in June 2023 that they “mutually agreed to part ways and are proud of the series we made together.”

However, the tech giant’s CEO later implied that the duchess’ show — which was her first major project since quitting her royal duties with Prince Harry in January 2020 — did not meet listeners’ standards.