Duchess Meghan is actively reading scripts as she prepares to return to acting nearly a decade after leaving Suits. A source close to the Duchess told USA TODAY on October 19, 2026, that she is “reading a lot of scripts” and exploring opportunities across film and television. The news follows a public fallout over her rumoured casting in Netflix’s The Gentlemen, which insiders say left her feeling used for publicity.
What the Source Actually Said
The source close to Meghan told USA TODAY that the Duchess is “sifting her way through various storylines” as she looks at projects across the industry. No role has been decided yet. The same source said Meghan is “being very careful to consider” her next step, according to reports published by The Detroit News, Herald Scotland, and The Kansas City Star.
An acting job was among the reported reasons for Meghan and Prince Harry’s return to the United Kingdom in August 2026. The couple moved back to Britain with their children, Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5, after six years in California.
The Gentlemen Casting That Fell Apart
Reports in August 2026 said Meghan was in advanced talks to join the third season of The Gentlemen, the Guy Ritchie crime series on Netflix starring Theo James and Kaya Scodelario. PEOPLE reported that Meghan and Harry had been discussing her acting return for some time and that the role helped shape the timing of their move to the UK.
The casting did not go through. Tina Brown, the former editor of Vanity Fair and The New Yorker, wrote in a Substack essay in August that backlash in the UK made it “untenable to go forward.” News.com.au reported that Ritchie had been creating a character especially for Meghan before plans were dropped.
A source close to Meghan told The Telegraph that her camp believes she was used to promote the show’s second season. The leak of her involvement came days before the season premiered, and Netflix announced a third season shortly after.
“It’s the oldest marketing trick in the book: get a big name to read a script, then leak that you’re ‘in conversation’ with them when, in reality, nothing is particularly far along.” — a source close to Meghan, speaking to The Telegraph
A source close to the production pushed back on that claim, telling The Times: “This is not a show in need of stunt casting”.
Why Meghan Is Being Careful About Scripts
An insider told The Telegraph that Meghan and her team are “being very cautious about which scripts they agree to read at the moment.” The source added that whatever Meghan’s first project turns out to be, “it’s going to attract huge interest”.
A separate source told Closer that Meghan has her sights set on more prestigious projects now that her profile is higher than it was before she married Harry.
“She has her sights set on moving towards more prestigious projects. She has a much higher profile now than she did before marrying Harry, so getting those types of opportunities is now a lot more within reach.” — an insider, via Closer
Ari Emanuel, Meghan’s former agent whose William Morris Endeavor agency still represents her, said on The Megyn Kelly Show podcast that she is “getting booked.” He mentioned “reality stuff and TV stuff” without giving details.
Her Acting Career Before the Royal Family
Meghan played Rachel Zane in the legal drama Suits for seven seasons. She joined the show in 2011 and filmed her final episodes in 2017, which aired in April 2018, weeks before her wedding to Harry.
Before Suits, her credits included the Hallmark TV movie Dater’s Handbook in 2016 and a recurring role on General Hospital. She stepped away from acting after marrying Harry and told the BBC in 2017 that she did not see the decision as “giving anything up” but as “a change” and a “new chapter”.
Variety reported in 2022 that Meghan said her intention was to “absolutely not” return to acting. That position has clearly shifted.
The Cameo That Already Happened
Meghan has already filmed a small return to screen. She shot a cameo as herself in Close Personal Friends, an Amazon MGM comedy starring Lily Collins, Jack Quaid, Brie Larson, and Henry Golding. She was spotted on the Pasadena, California set in November 2025 and was described by a source as “very relaxed and happy”.
The cameo does not count as a full acting comeback. Meghan played herself, not a character. The scripts she is reading now are for proper acting roles, according to the sources.
You May Also Like:
View all articles about
What Has Been Ruled Out
A Suits reunion film is not happening for Meghan, at least for now. In May 2026, a representative for Meghan told E! News there was “no truth” to rumours that she would reprise Rachel Zane in a reunion movie.
The Gentlemen is also off the table. A source close to Meghan confirmed she is out of the running for the Netflix series.
Where Her Focus Sits Now
The Telegraph source said Meghan’s priorities are, in order: her family and children, her lifestyle brand As Ever, and then rebooting her acting career. Public appearances like the couple’s Nottingham engagements on October 15, 2026, will be “relatively rare”.
Meghan and Harry received a warm welcome in Nottingham, where she was hugged by well-wishers and given flowers. The outing was their first joint engagement since returning to Britain.
For more royal and entertainment updates you can trust, keep reading VvipTimes.
Leave a Reply