Meghan Markle Dropped From The Gentlemen Amid UK Backlash

Meghan Markle has reportedly been dropped from Guy Ritchie's hit Netflix series The Gentlemen after a swift and fierce wave of backlash in the United Kingdom forced a rethink on her casting, according to reports emerging on Monday morning.

The Duchess of Sussex was said to be in advanced negotiations to appear in the third season of the show, which is filmed in England's Cotswolds region. The development came as part of a broader reported plan for Harry and Meghan to return to the UK as early as late August, with their two children — Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet — said to have been enrolled in school ahead of the September term.

However, within 24 hours of the casting news breaking, reports emerged that the deal had collapsed. Russell Myers, royal editor of the Daily Mirror, told Today Show Australia the speed of the reversal reflected the volatile climate surrounding the couple. "What a chaotic period, not only for the Sussexes but for everybody around them," he said.

Myers noted the situation raised fresh questions about the motivations behind the planned UK return. Speculation has circled around the couple's financial position, with several major streaming partnerships signed after their departure from royal duties now potentially winding down.

The Gentlemen would have marked a significant step in Meghan's acting comeback. She stepped away from a successful screen career — including more than 100 episodes of legal drama Suits — when she joined the royal family, at a time when she was told by the late Queen and senior royals that continuing to act was entirely her choice. Her only recent on-screen appearance has been a brief cameo as herself.

Myers suggested the intensity of the backlash raised broader questions about who was driving it. "Is it just coming from people who don't like Harry and Meghan anyway? Is it coming from the network?" he said, adding that any production attaching either of their names should anticipate controversy from the outset.

The collapsed deal may also complicate the couple's planned return. Prince Harry had previously stated publicly that security concerns made it difficult to bring his family safely back to the UK, following a prolonged legal dispute with the British government over his protection arrangements. If Meghan's potential role in a UK-based production was a key driver of the trip, its unravelling could put those plans in doubt.

Despite the setback, industry observers reportedly believe Meghan remains a bankable name and that other opportunities would follow. Whether any future projects could withstand the scrutiny that follows the couple wherever they go remains an open question.