Friends of Meghan Markle have claimed the Duchess of Sussex was “used” by Netflix to generate publicity for Guy Ritchie’s hit series The Gentlemen.
Sources close to Meghan reportedly accused the streaming platform of highlighting her possible involvement in the crime comedy to help promote the show.
In August, a Hollywood website reported that Meghan was in preliminary discussions about a potential role in the third season of the Netflix drama.
The report emerged just two days after Meghan and Prince Harry were said to be returning to Britain indefinitely with their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.
However, within a day of the casting speculation becoming public, plans for Meghan’s acting comeback reportedly stalled following criticism of the proposed role, with the discussions ultimately abandoned.
Her friends have now alleged that Meghan was “used to help promote” the show’s second season, which premiered last month and stars Theo James and Kaya Scodelario.
One source claimed Netflix sought to strengthen the show’s publicity because the second season was not considered “as good as the first”, despite the platform having already commissioned a third series.
Close friends of Meghan Markle have claimed she was “used” by Netflix to promote Guy Ritchie’s hit series The Gentlemen (pictured in February in Los Angeles)
Season two of The Gentlemen, starring Theo James and Kaya Scodelario, premiered last month
“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,” the source told The Telegraph.
The source added that the episode had “left a bit of a sour taste in the Sussex camp’s mouth”, claiming Netflix had ultimately “got what it wanted” through increased publicity and stronger viewing figures for the new season.
Audience data indicated that official ratings for The Gentlemen fell by about 15 per cent compared with the first season’s debut, which attracted 3.5 million viewers when it was released in March 2024.
The opening episode of season two drew approximately three million British viewers in the week after its Netflix release.
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Before marrying Harry, Meghan was best known for playing lawyer Rachel Zane in the popular US legal drama Suits, appearing in the role for seven seasons.
After her final episode aired in 2018 and she joined the Royal Family, Meghan stepped away from acting and has not taken on another full acting role since.
In 2022, she told Variety magazine that she had no plans to return to acting, saying: “I’m done. I guess never say never but my intention is to absolutely not.”
She has nevertheless made tentative moves back into the industry, including a small appearance in the upcoming US film Close Personal Friends. Meghan is set to appear as herself alongside Lily Collins and Brie Larson.
Earlier this year, she also appeared as a guest judge on MasterChef Australia, filming the episode in Melbourne in April during a four-day tour of the country with Harry.
Meghan played lawyer Rachel Zane for seven seasons of the US legal drama Suits
Meghan’s Netflix deal lapsed last year after her lifestyle show, With Love, Meghan, ended. Pictured: Meghan Markle on With Love, Meghan
Yet another source said Meghan was ‘very cautious’ about reading scripts for acting ventures due to the potential of her involvement being leaked to the press. They said whatever Meghan might star in would ‘attract huge interest’.
‘The prospect of seeing her return to acting will drive big audiences,’ the source said. ‘And ultimately, someone – whether it’s Netflix, Amazon or another studio – is going to make a lot of money from it.’
The Duchess previously had a longstanding relationship with Netflix, signing a $100million five-year deal with the service in 2020. However, this lapsed last year after Netflix panned her lifestyle show, ‘With Love, Meghan’.
The show received mixed reviews from critics, with its second series failing to make the top ten in the UK or the US since its release.
Netflix has been contacted for comment.
The Duchess of Sussex has been contacted for comment.