Meghan Markle joining the cast of The Gentlemen has reportedly been ruled out. The Duchess of Sussex was at the centre of speculation that she would be making a full-time return to acting, having found fame playing Rachel Zane on the US legal drama, Suits.
It comes six years after the Duchess and her husband, Prince Harry, stepped back as senior working royals in order to live a financially independent life away from The Crown. Since then, the Duke and Duchess have embarked on a string of television projects, including their own Netflix shows.
And amid Meghan and Harry's return to the UK, it was claimed she was in talks to appear in The Gentlemen. But director Guy Ritchie reportedly wasn't too happy with this speculation.
Ritchie's blunt response
"Really?" was Guy's first response after hearing of the speculation. A source told The Sun that the 58-year-old went on to rule out any future appearances by Meghan. He is reported to have said: "Not a chance."
Meghan has now been completely ruled out of joining the hit show for series three, which will see Robert Carlyle and Maya Jama step onto the set. "The Gentlemen is going from strength to strength, and everyone is desperate to make it work," the source told the publication.
They added: "Robert is an industry icon, and Theo [James] himself made it clear he wanted him part of the cast. Meghan, though, is now out of contention. There was a meeting, but it's been decided she won't be part of the cast."
Return to acting
The duchess recently returned to acting for the first time in nearly a decade with a cameo as herself in the upcoming comedy Close Personal Friends, which stars Lily Collins and Brie Larson.
Although she has returned to the screen, it's said she will be playing herself in the Amazon MGM Studios film, which focuses on two couples, one of whom is famous and the other not. At the time of filming, a source told The Sun: "This is a massive moment for Meghan and signifies a return to doing what she truly loves. She has been swamped with offers, but this one felt right. It is Meghan's way of gently putting her toe back in the water and seeing how she enjoys being back on set."
They added that everybody involved in the production had been sworn to secrecy. Last year, Meghan said that at times, she missed her acting career.
Past comments on acting
Speaking to Vanity Fair in October 2022, the Duchess made a very cryptic comment about a possible return to the industry. She told the outlet: "I left Suits right after the 100th episode, in 2018. I didn't think I'd ever be in the entertainment industry again."
"But the entire culture has changed; streamers have changed things. The ability to create zeitgeist moments like we had in the '90s — where everyone would tune in at the same time for a show or gather for one moment? — that doesn't happen anymore."
"When I was doing Suits, that character, Rachel Zane, was in your living room with you while you were in your pyjamas eating Chinese takeout. That's how connected the experience felt then. But to create a cultural moment or conversation requires something different today. Podcasting has been really interesting in that way. It might be one of the only remaining forums where people are alone to listen. Where else do you have that opportunity?"
When asked directly if she would consider returning to the screens, she quipped: "No, I'm done. I guess never say never, but my intention is to absolutely not."
The Mirror has approached spokespeople for both Guy and The Duchess.
