Meghan Markle’s Reported £1M+ “The Gentlemen” Payday Is Now Shrouded in Mystery

Meghan Markle’s potential return to acting has taken an unexpected turn, with reports suggesting that a role in Guy Ritchie’s Netflix series The Gentlemen may already have been withdrawn.

The Duchess of Sussex had reportedly been in advanced discussions to join the third season of the hit gangster comedy-drama. If the deal were finalised, sources told The Sun that Meghan could have earned at least £1 million for the role.

But the reported casting is now the subject of conflicting claims.

Tina Brown Claims the Casting Was Withdrawn

Journalist Tina Brown, the former editor of Vanity Fair and The New Yorker, said she had learned that Meghan’s casting had been pulled.

Writing on her Substack and social media, Brown claimed that the reaction in the UK had been so intense that moving forward had become untenable. She also suggested the development could be a setback for Meghan’s hoped-for acting comeback in Britain.

The claim has not been officially confirmed by Netflix or Meghan’s representatives.

In fact, the situation is complicated by the fact that The Gentlemen has not yet officially been renewed for a third season, and earlier reports described Meghan’s discussions as preliminary, with no contract in place.

That means the reported £1 million-plus payday was not a confirmed salary from a completed deal.

A Potentially Major Acting Comeback

Before the latest development, Meghan’s possible involvement had been viewed as a significant return to acting.

The former Suits star stepped away from acting after marrying Prince Harry and becoming a senior member of the Royal Family. A role in Guy Ritchie’s series would therefore represent her most prominent acting opportunity since leaving the profession.

The Gentlemen is based on Ritchie’s 2019 film and follows an aristocratic family drawn into the criminal underworld. The Netflix series has become an international hit, with its second season scheduled to premiere on September 3.

Professor Jonathan Shalit, chairman of InterTalent Rights Group, previously praised the potential casting, describing the show as hugely popular and saying that signing Meghan would be a significant coup for its bosses.

The Timing Has Added Even More Intrigue

The reported acting negotiations emerged just as Harry and Meghan prepare to return to the UK with their children after six years in California.

That has prompted speculation about whether Meghan’s potential acting work could form part of her new life in Britain. Reports have also suggested she could potentially attend the London premiere surrounding the show’s second season on September 2.

However, those plans remain uncertain.

As of now, there is no official confirmation that Meghan has been cast, no confirmed contract and no official explanation from Netflix that her reported casting has been withdrawn.

For Meghan, what appeared to be a potentially lucrative return to the screen has therefore become something much more complicated.

Was the reported £1 million-plus role ever close to being finalised — and has the backlash really brought her UK acting comeback to an abrupt halt?