In the wake of the dissolution of the partnership between Meghan Markle and Spotify, Jeremy Zimmer, CEO of the United Talent Agency (UTA), reportedly criticized Markle's audio abilities.

Markle's podcast, "Archetypes," was part of the deal with Spotify that was recently mutually discontinued. Zimmer candidly shared his views at the 2023 Cannes Lions advertising festival, in France.

"Meghan Markle did not prove herself to be a great audio talent, or any kind of talent for that matter," Zimmer was quoted by Semafor, a global news outlet. He further opined, "Fame doesn't necessarily equate to proficiency in a given field."

These remarks surprised an unidentified A-list talent manager who told Variety that Zimmer's public criticism was unusual. "It's unheard of for an agent to publicly comment on the talent or skill set of any individual, let alone their own client," said the talent manager.

UTA, co-founded by Zimmer with Jim Berkus and Peter Benedek in 1991, represents high-profile talents such as Mariah Carey, Anthony Hopkins, Kevin Hart, Chelsea Handler, Bryan Cranston, and M. Night Shyamalan. UTA, alongside Creative Artists Agency (CAA) and William Morris Endeavor (WME), is among the top Hollywood agencies. It has facilitated podcast deals for celebrities including Handler, Will Ferrell, and Seth Rogen.

Before marrying Prince Harry, Markle starred in the TV series "Suits" for seven seasons and signed with WME in April. She and Prince Harry jointly announced the termination of their reported $20 million, multi-year deal with Spotify.

The joint statement read, "Spotify and Archewell Audio have mutually agreed to part ways, and we take pride in the series we created together."

Despite the end of their partnership with Spotify, a representative from WME revealed that Markle is in the process of creating new content for a different platform. "The 'Archetypes' team is still proud of their work at Spotify, and Meghan is already working on more content for another platform," the representative told The Wall Street Journal.

The cessation of the partnership between the Sussexes and Spotify has elicited varied reactions from industry insiders and the public. Spotify executive Bill Simmons labeled the royal couple as "grifters."

Royal commentator Kinsey Schofield, who hosts the royal podcast "To Di For Daily," expressed that the Spotify split indicates the Sussexes might be challenging to collaborate with. "There's a pattern of Harry and Meghan leaving partnerships under the guise of a 'mutual agreement.' Brands and individuals may begin to approach working with them with caution," Schofield told GB News host Patrick Christys.