Has Meghan Markle's recover to performing been cancelled? Duchess of Sussex has opportunity to star in Man Ritchie's Netflix collection The Gents 'withdrawn as a result of backlash'

Meghan Markle’s much-touted return to acting has been ‘cancelled’, it was claimed today.

Respected royal author Tina Brown said she had been told that an offer for Meghan to star in the third season of Guy Ritchie’s Netflix series The Gentlemen ‘has been withdrawn’.

Writing on her Substack, Fresh Hell, Brown said: ‘I learned this morning that the casting of Meghan Markle in season three of Guy Ritchie’s Netflix series The Gentleman has been withdrawn. 

The backlash in the UK was so intense it became untenable to go forward. This does not bode well for Meghan’s acting comeback in the UK.’

Meghan’s return to acting was touted by sources close to the Duchess of Sussex as one of the main reasons she and Prince Harry are returning to the UK later this month.

They have enrolled their children Prince Archie, seven, and Princess Lilibet, five, at school in England and will reportedly live in a ‘non-Royal’ residence outside London, with the Cotswolds being mentioned as a possible location.

Prior to marrying into the Royal Family, Meghan starred as Rachel Zane in the hit legal drama Suits for seven seasons. By the time she quit after becoming engaged to Prince Harry she was reportedly earning $40,000 an episode.

She has a small cameo role in the upcoming film ‘Close Personal Friends’ starring Brie Larson and Lily Collins but sources tell the Daily Mail: ‘It’s a blink-and-miss it part where she plays herself so it’s not really acting.’

In 2022, Meghan said she had no plans to return to acting, however, earlier this week sources close to her said she was in ‘advance discussions’ to star in season three of the hit show

Earlier this week, it was revealed that Meghan and Harry intended to move from the US to Britain with their children Archie, seven, and Lilibet, five (The family are pictured in December 2025)

But the possibility of Meghan starring in Ritchie’s critically acclaimed The Gentlemen could have signaled a return to a major – and lucrative – acting career.

Sources close to Meghan leaked the news earlier this week saying she was in ‘advance discussions’ to star in season three of the hit show about an English lord who learns the stately home he has inherited secretly hides a major marijuana growing business. 

It stars Theo James in the title role of Lord Edward ‘Eddie’ Horniman. Season two starts on Netflix next month.

But as soon as it was revealed that Ritchie was considering writing a role specifically for Meghan in the upcoming third season the backlash was swift – and brutal.

On Netflix’s official Instagram channel for The Gentleman one fan wrote: ‘If Guy Ritchie hires Markle to go on season 3 his ratings will drop fast than Budweiser’ – referring to the controversy when Budweiser hired a trans influencer to promote Bud Lite, a move that saw sales plunge.

Another fan wrote: ‘Many will boycott The Gentlemen if MM is in the cast. I loved the series but cannot watch the new series if she is in it. Please read the room.’

Others said they would skip the show ‘out of principle’ because they are still angry about Meghan claiming the Royal Family was ‘racist’ for asking about the colour of Archie’s skin when she was pregnant.

Another fan of the show pleaded: ‘Don’t do it Guy! There’s no method in your madness casting her. It will destroy your show for sure.’

Meghan pictured here in legal television drama Suits as Rachel Zane

However, one Meghan fan said on social media: ‘It very well could work. “The Gentlemen” is a serial, just like “Suits” where she was very successful for seven years, leaving the series only because of her upcoming marriage. 

‘Acting is something she has demonstrated she can do.’

In 2022, Meghan said she had no plans to return to acting, telling Variety: ‘No, I’m done. I guess never say never but my intention is to absolutely not.’

A source at Disney studios last night told Daily Mail: ‘There was a great deal of confusion at the stories about Meghan being offered a part for a series which has yet to be renewed by Netflix for season 3 and which hasn’t been written yet. 

‘Every so often people around town (Hollywood) get calls about whether there are any potential acting gigs for Meghan. But she’s so polarizing. 

‘Sure, some people love her but a lot of people don’t. She’s not someone I would want in one of my shows because you’re alienating half your audience before the show even airs. 

‘She’s a divisive figure. In Hollywood it is all about money and, while some people will surely tune in to see Meghan, others will turn off. And that’s not good for business.’

Meghan and Harry signed a $100m five-year deal with Netflix when they arrived in Los Angeles but that deal was quietly ended last year. 

They currently have a ‘first look’ deal with the streamer which means they offer projects to Netflix first.

Their Netflix docuseries ‘Harry & Meghan’ was a bona fide hit, and chronicled their flight from the UK during ‘Megxit’ and starting their new life in America. The 2022 show was Netflix’s highest-rated docuseries of all time.

But Meghan’s lifestyle show ‘With Love, Meghan’ failed to impress critics and was not renewed and Harry’s show Polo sank without trace.

Meghan’s latest documentary film ‘Cookie Queens’ was a flop, beaten at the box office by CatVideoFest 2026, a compilation of viral cat videos.

The Disney source said: ‘When they arrived in Hollywood there was a buzz about them. Everyone wanted a part of them and the big number deals were flying around.

‘Now they are leaving town with a whimper. They are not relevant in Hollywood because they have failed to have a single hit outside the docuseries where they cashed in on their links to the Royal Family. 

‘They need new royal material because all anyone really cares about is their connection to the Royal Family. Meghan is good at generating headlines but that skill has not translated into box office success.’