The Duchess of Sussex's reported return to acting for the first time in nearly 10 years has proven controversial among members of the public, but Netflix is said to be pressing ahead with casting her in the forthcoming Guy Ritchie production, The Gentleman.
It comes after Meghan and Prince Harry surprised the world, including the royal family, with news that they are leaving California to move back to the UK with their children, Prince Archie, seven, and Princess Lilibet, five.
Numerous reports suggest Meghan, who recently celebrated her 45th birthday, is keen to get back into the acting world and has already filmed a cameo in the upcoming Amazon MGM production, Close Personal Friends.
Claims of public backlash
Last week, it was reported that Meghan is in talks with Netflix to star in The Gentleman, but magazine editor and The Palace Papers author Tina Brown claimed in a post on X that the deal had fallen apart due to "public backlash".
Brown wrote: "Newsflash: I have heard that Meghan Markle's role in Guy Ritchie's Netflix series The Gentleman is OFF. Public backlash was too fierce. This does not bode well for Meghan's acting comeback in the UK."
But according to The Sun, the Duchess is still in negotiations about the role, though no formal agreement has been brokered between her and Netflix. The newspaper quoted a source as saying: "Her return to acting is expected to draw a large audience of both her supporters and critics, and is likely to make a lot of money. It will be seen as a major coup for whoever signs her."
Talks for third series
Variety reported that the talks pertain to Meghan joining the third series of The Gentleman, which has not yet been greenlighted. The Gentleman began streaming in 2019. If Meghan were to be cast on the show, she would join Theo James, who plays Eddie Horniman; Kaya Scodelario as Susie Glass; and Ray Winstone as Bobby Glass.
The Duchess rose to fame in the legal drama series Suits as Rachel Zane from 2011 to 2018. While Meghan has since returned to our screens in the form of her Netflix lifestyle series, With Love, Meghan, she has not pursued her acting career since she moved to the UK to be with Harry in 2017.
West End ambitions and UK move
There have also been reports that the Duchess is keen to take on a role on a West End stage when she arrives back on British soil. The Daily Mail quoted a source as saying that Meghan has "desperately wanted to be in a West End" production over the years and "will certainly be speaking to people about a role".
However, there has been no confirmation of this by sources close to the Sussexes, and it is not known how feasible it could be if the couple plan to live outside London. While the exact location of their new family home has not been revealed for security reasons, it is understood that the Sussexes have already secured a private, non-royal residence outside of London.
Archie and Lilibet have already been enrolled in schools and will begin attending lessons in September.
