Meghan Markle is set to return to acting for the first time in nearly a decade. She is reportedly deep in negotiations to appear in Guy Ritchie’s Netflix series The Gentlemen, with her character being written into a third season that has not yet been formally announced, as per The Hollywood Reporter. It is not yet clear how many episodes she would feature in, with the second season of The Gentlemen to premiere on September 3. The news comes just days after reports confirmed that Meghan is moving back to the UK with husband Prince Harry and their children, who have already been enrolled in a British school.

Senior entertainment reporter Bronte Coy spoke about Meghan’s return to acting and told BBC Radio 4’s Today on Friday that the acting opportunity played a major part in the couple’s decision to return. “This is such a key part of the puzzle,” she said, adding, “I think when we all heard that news that Harry and Meghan were moving here, and within a matter of days, and the kids were enrolled in school, everyone was asking, what is Meghan going to be doing?” On the role itself, Coy added, “I’m told it’s significant, and she’s very excited about it.”

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From Suits to the Royal Family and back

Markle’s last acting role was in the legal drama Suits, where she played the character Rachel Zane across seven seasons. She left the show in 2017 following her engagement to Prince Harry, with the intention of becoming a full-time working member of the British royal family. The couple married in May 2018 in a ceremony at Windsor Castle.

Their time as working royals, however, was brief and turbulent. In January 2020, they announced they would be withdrawing from official royal life, citing what they described as unbearable media scrutiny and a lack of institutional support. They settled in Montecito, California, by mid-2020, and in a widely watched 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey, Markle spoke about experiencing racism, mental health struggles and feeling unsupported by the royal family.

Once in California, the couple signed a wide-ranging deal with Netflix estimated at around $100 million. The partnership produced several projects including the docuseries Harry and Meghan, the polo documentary series Polo, and With Love, Meghan, a lifestyle show. However, the relationship with Netflix has cooled considerably in recent months. About a year ago, the overall deal was reduced to a first-look arrangement, and in March this year, Netflix ended its business involvement with Markle’s lifestyle venture As Ever.

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The move back to Britain

The decision to return to the UK marks a reversal for a couple whose departure from Britain in 2020 was seen as a significant move. A person familiar with their plans told The Hollywood Reporter that the family had an unexpectedly positive summer visit to the UK, reconnecting with relatives and friends, which eventually led to the decision to stay longer and relocate.

Reports indicate the couple intend to hold on to their properties in both California and Portugal. The family is said to be planning to live in a private residence outside London, and won’t resume any formal royal duties.

For Markle, the return to acting represents both a personal and professional reset. She built a successful career in television before her marriage, and her departure from Suits was framed at the time as a sacrifice made in service of her new role within the monarchy.