Meghan Markle Reportedly Dropped From Guy Ritchie’s The Gentlemen After U.K. Backlash

Meghan Markle’s reported return to acting may already be in doubt. The former Suits star had been linked to a possible role in the third season of Guy Ritchie’s Netflix series The Gentlemen, but a new report claims that the casting has since been withdrawn following a strong backlash in the U.K.

The situation remains unconfirmed by Netflix, Guy Ritchie, or Markle’s representatives. However, Tina Brown, the former editor-in-chief of Vanity Fair and The New Yorker, said the decision was made after the reported casting generated intense public reaction.

Tina Brown Says Meghan Markle’s Casting Was Withdrawn

In a column published on her Substack, Brown wrote that she had learned Meghan Markle’s casting in The Gentlemen Season 3 “has been withdrawn.”

“The backlash in the UK was so intense, it became untenable to go forward,”

Brown wrote, adding that the reported decision

“does not bode well for Meghan’s acting comeback in the UK.”

The Hollywood Reporter later reported that Brown stood by her claim. The outlet said it contacted Markle’s representative and WME, which represents both Markle and Ritchie, but received no response.

Theo James stars as Eddie Horniman in Guy Ritchie’s Netflix crime series The Gentlemen. (Image via Netflix)

The report came shortly after news emerged that Markle was in discussions about joining The Gentlemen. However, the potential role had not been officially announced, and Netflix had not yet renewed the series for a third season. Earlier reports also indicated that discussions were still underway and that no deal had been finalized.

A role in The Gentlemen would have marked a significant return to acting for Markle, who stepped away from her career after her engagement to Prince Harry. She is best known for playing Rachel Zane in Suits, while her recent professional relationship with Netflix has focused primarily on projects through Archewell Productions.

Netflix’s The Gentlemen is a television adaptation of Guy Ritchie’s 2019 film and stars Theo James as Eddie Horniman, an aristocrat who discovers his inherited estate is connected to a criminal enterprise. Netflix has confirmed that Season 2 will premiere on September 3, 2026.

For now, Markle’s involvement in Season 3 should still be treated as a report rather than an official casting decision. While Tina Brown has said the proposed role was withdrawn, neither Netflix nor the series’ production team has publicly confirmed that a deal was ever finalized or that an offer was later pulled.