Meghan Markle is in early discussions for a potential acting role in the third season of Netflix’s crime drama The Gentlemen, created by Guy Ritchie. The possible casting coincides with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s plans to relocate back to the United Kingdom after spending six years living in California.
The Duchess of Sussex is reportedly exploring a dramatic return to scripted television, nearly a decade after stepping away from her acting career to join the British royal family. According to early reports, Markle has been meeting with filmmaker Guy Ritchie through mutual acquaintances to discuss a part in his Netflix gangster series, Deadline.
The potential television gig marks a notable pivot for Markle, whose recent on-screen projects have focused primarily on unscripted television and lifestyle programming. While representatives for both Netflix and Markle declined to comment on the discussions, industry sources indicate that a role is currently being written for the Duchess in anticipation of a third season.
Early Talks and Streamer Realities
Despite the active discussions, industry observers urge caution regarding the timeline. The prospective casting remains strictly hypothetical at this point because Netflix has not yet officially renewed The Gentlemen
for a third season.
Season 2 of the crime drama is slated to premiere on September 3, bringing back core cast members Theo James and Kaya Scodelario as they navigate Bobby’s expanding criminal enterprise. Because the streaming platform has not yet ordered a third installment, casting details remain entirely unconfirmed, and no specific character has been outlined for Markle to play.
Should the deal materialize, the project would fit naturally within the Sussexes’ existing business portfolio. Prince Harry and Meghan maintain a first-look deal at Netflix, under which they have previously produced documentary programming like Harry & Meghan
and With Love, Meghan
.
Moving Back Across the Atlantic
The casting rumors arrive alongside news that Prince Harry and Meghan are preparing to leave California, where they have resided for the past six years. The family plans to relocate to the United Kingdom for an extended period, with their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, reportedly enrolled in a British school beginning in September.
The family is expected to settle into a private residence outside London. Sources close to the couple emphasize that despite the international move and Markle’s potential return to a U.K.-based production, neither Prince Harry nor Meghan will resume official working duties for the British royal family.
A Long Hiatus From Scripted Drama
If Markle finalizes a contract for the series, it will represent her first major scripted acting role since she departed the popular U.S. legal drama Suits
in 2018. She played paralegal Rachel Zane for seven seasons across more than 100 episodes before stepping away from her acting career ahead of her royal wedding.
In the years following her departure from scripted television, Markle maintained that her acting career was definitively in the past. When asked by Variety in 2022 if she planned to return to the screen, she answered directly: No. I’m done. I guess never say never, but my intention is to absolutely not.
That stance began to soften recently. Last year, it was announced that Markle would make a cameo appearance in the Amazon MGM Studios feature film Close Personal Friends
. Joining the ensemble cast of a major Netflix series would mark a much larger return to television drama.
Broader Context and Legal Pressures
The unfolding television talks coincide with a challenging period for Prince Harry regarding ongoing legal battles in London. A High Court judge recently ordered the Duke of Sussex and six other high-profile co-claimants—including Sir Elton John and actress Elizabeth Hurley—to pay up to £34.5 million in legal fees to the publisher of the Daily Mail following an unsuccessful privacy lawsuit.
The substantial legal costs add financial and public pressure to the family’s transatlantic move. Meanwhile, the upcoming premiere of The Gentlemen
Season 2 on September 3 will keep Guy Ritchie’s gritty criminal world in the spotlight as viewers await any official streaming confirmation regarding a third season and Markle’s potential involvement.
