Meghan Markle’s team is disputing a report that her proposed role in Guy Ritchie’s Netflix series The Gentlemen was withdrawn following backlash in the United Kingdom.
Tina Brown, the former editor-in-chief of Vanity Fair and The New Yorker, claimed on August 22 that Meghan’s casting in a possible third season had been pulled because the response in Britain made it “untenable to go forward.”
Brown published the assertion one day after multiple outlets reported that the Duchess of Sussex was discussing a potential acting return through the crime series. The Hollywood Reporter subsequently updated its coverage to note that Meghan’s team denied Brown’s claim.
Meghan was never officially announced as a cast member, and the initial reports differed over how far the discussions had progressed. Netflix and representatives for Meghan declined to comment when Reuters sought confirmation on August 21, while no public statement from Ritchie has resolved the dispute.
Meghan’s Team Denies Tina Brown’s Withdrawal Claim
Brown made the withdrawal claim in a brief August 22 post on her Fresh Hell newsletter. “I learned this morning that the casting of Meghan Markle in season 3 of Guy Ritchie’s Netflix series The Gentlemen has been withdrawn,” she wrote, adding that the reported backlash in the U.K. had become too intense for the casting to proceed.
The claim was subsequently carried by News24 Australia and The Guardian, among other outlets. The Hollywood Reporter later added Meghan’s team’s denial and contacted Brown, who said she stood by her account.
The Original Talks Were Described Very Differently
Even before the withdrawal dispute, entertainment outlets offered notably different accounts of Meghan’s potential involvement. The Hollywood Reporter described her as being in advanced discussions and reported that a role was being written for her, although its size remained unclear.
Deadline’s original report was more cautious. Its sources described the conversations as preliminary and “hypothetical,” with no specific role identified and no deal in place.
Reuters summarized the conflicting accounts on August 21, reporting that The Hollywood Reporter characterized the talks as advanced while Deadline stressed their tentative nature.
PEOPLE also reported that Meghan was being considered for the series, describing the discussions as being in “very early stages.” The outlet cited a source who expected a third season to be announced, but Meghan’s participation remained unconfirmed.
The Reported Role Was Not Part of the Season Arriving in September
Whatever ultimately happens with Meghan and The Gentlemen, she was not expected to appear in the completed second season. Netflix’s official preview says the new episodes arrive September 3 and follow Eddie Horniman and Susie Glass as their criminal operation expands beyond the English countryside.
Theo James and Kaya Scodelario return as Eddie and Susie, with Ray Winstone back as Bobby Glass. Season 2 also adds Hugh Bonneville, Benjamin Clementine, Benedetta Porcaroli, Amra Mallassi, Chris Eubank Jr. and Maya Jama, among others.
Meghan Has Already Filmed a Separate Acting Return
Meghan already has one acting project that does not depend on the outcome of the The Gentlemen dispute. She filmed a small cameo as herself in Amazon MGM Studios’ comedy Close Personal Friends, starring Lily Collins, Brie Larson, Jack Quaid and Henry Golding.
The appearance marked her first acting work in more than seven years. Meghan became widely known for playing Rachel Zane on Suits, appearing on the series for seven seasons before stepping away from acting around the time of her 2018 marriage to Prince Harry.
During a 2022 interview with Variety, Meghan said she was “done” with acting but left a small opening by adding, “I guess never say never.” She has since described filming Close Personal Friends as “a lot of fun.”
Her relationship with Netflix has also continued outside acting. Archewell Productions extended its partnership with the streamer through a multi-year first-look agreement in 2025, while Meghan’s With Love, Meghan expanded to a second season and a holiday special.