Meghan Markle Netflix acting comeback ‘withdrawn’ after backlash over The Gentlemen role

Meghan Markle’s much-hyped return to acting has been thrown into doubt, with a royal expert claiming her reported Netflix role has been pulled after a backlash over her casting.

The Duchess of Sussex was reportedly set to appear in the third season of Guy Ritchie’s hit Netflix series The Gentlemen, marking her first major acting role since she walked away from the industry after marrying Prince Harry.

The role appeared to be part of a major new chapter for Meghan, who is reportedly preparing to spend an extended period in the UK with Harry and their children.

But now the proposed comeback has hit a major hurdle.

Royal author and former Vanity Fair editor Tina Brown claimed the casting had been withdrawn after the reaction to Meghan’s involvement became too intense.

“I learned this morning that the casting of Meghan Markle in season 3 of Guy Ritchie’s Netflix series The Gentlemen has been withdrawn,” Brown wrote on Substack.

Brown claimed the backlash in Britain had made the casting “untenable”.

“The backlash in the UK was so intense, it became untenable to go forward,” she wrote, adding: “This does not bode well for Meghan’s acting comeback in the UK.”

The claim was subsequently reported by The Hollywood Reporter, which said it had contacted Brown and that she “stands by her reporting”.

British newspaper The Telegraph also reported that the deal could collapse following the public reaction, claiming the reservations were coming from Netflix rather than the production team.

The reports have emerged just days after it was revealed Meghan had reportedly been offered the role and was excited about returning to acting.

The proposed appearance would have been a significant return to the screen for the former Suits star, whose acting career effectively ended when she moved to Britain and married Harry in 2018.

The Gentlemen, a spinoff of Guy Ritchie’s 2019 film, has become a major Netflix hit and is filmed in Britain.

Meghan’s reported casting had also raised eyebrows given the timing of the couple’s plans to return to the UK.

Harry and Meghan are preparing to relocate from the US for an extended period within a matter of days.

Their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, had reportedly already been enrolled at a local school.

The potential UK move had prompted speculation about Meghan rebuilding her career in Britain, with her reported role in The Gentlemen appearing to be a major part of that plan.

However, the latest claims could now leave her acting comeback in serious doubt.

Netflix has not publicly confirmed Meghan’s casting or if the role has been withdrawn.