Meghan Markle Reportedly Dropped From Guy Ritchie’s ‘The Gentlemen’ After UK Backlash

Comeback stories in Hollywood rarely move in a straight line, and this one appears to have hit a wall just as quickly as it began. What looked like a promising new chapter for one of television’s most recognizable former stars has reportedly unraveled within the span of a single weekend.

The story centers on Meghan Markle, whose potential return to acting had been generating headlines just days earlier. Reports had placed her in advanced discussions to join the cast of Guy Ritchie’s ‘The Gentlemen,’ the Netflix crime series adapted from his 2019 film of the same name.

That momentum has now reportedly reversed entirely. According to Tina Brown, the former editor-in-chief of Vanity Fair and The New Yorker, Markle’s casting in season three of ‘The Gentlemen’ has been withdrawn following intense backlash in the United Kingdom.

Brown broke the news in a column published Saturday on her Substack newsletter, writing that she learned the casting had been pulled that same morning. “The backlash in the U.K. was so intense, it became untenable to go forward,” Brown wrote, adding that the development “does not bode well for Meghan’s acting comeback in the U.K.”

The reversal comes just one day after The Hollywood Reporter first reported that Markle was in advanced talks to join the series, which films in the United Kingdom. Other outlets had described her involvement as being in the “very early stages” of negotiations, suggesting the offer may have moved quickly before falling apart just as fast.

A part in ‘The Gentlemen’ would have represented Markle’s most significant acting opportunity since she stepped away from the profession in 2017, when she became engaged to Prince Harry. Her most recognizable acting credit remains her run on ‘Suits,’ which she left behind as she transitioned into royal life.

Ritchie created ‘The Gentlemen’ as a spinoff of his own feature film, and reports indicate he and Markle were connected through mutual acquaintances. The series stars Theo James and is currently gearing up for its second season premiere on September 3, with a third season not yet officially confirmed by Netflix at the time discussions with Markle reportedly began.

Notably, even without the reported withdrawal, Markle’s potential appearance was always going to fall outside the show’s next release. Her character had reportedly been positioned for the still-unconfirmed third season, well beyond next month’s premiere.

The timing of this reported casting collapse is particularly notable given recent news about Markle and Prince Harry’s living situation. The couple recently announced plans to relocate their family back to the United Kingdom, with Brown previously reporting that Markle’s potential role in ‘The Gentlemen’ had been a significant factor in that decision.

That connection makes the reported withdrawal sting even more for Markle, since the acting opportunity had apparently been central to the couple’s broader plans for their return. The Hollywood Reporter noted it reached out to both Markle’s representative and WME, which represents both Markle and Ritchie, but did not receive a response.

Markle and Prince Harry have maintained ties to Netflix since relocating to California in 2020, when they signed an overall content deal with the streamer that has since been downgraded to a first-look arrangement. That partnership has produced several projects, including the documentary series ‘Harry & Meghan,’ the polo docuseries ‘Polo’ and the lifestyle series ‘With Love, Meghan.’

The reported fallout also arrives amid a broader rocky stretch for some of Markle’s other business ventures, following Netflix’s earlier decision this year to exit its involvement with her lifestyle brand, As Ever. Between the reported casting withdrawal and the earlier business setback, questions are mounting about how smoothly Markle’s broader entertainment ambitions will translate once she and her family are settled back in the U.K.

For now, neither Netflix nor representatives for Markle or Ritchie have issued a public statement confirming or denying Brown’s report. Whether the door remains open for a future role once season three of ‘The Gentlemen’ moves further into development remains to be seen.

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