Meghan Markle Was Used by Netflix to Promote The Gentlemen, Friend Claims
Some people in her camp feel she was used to help promote season two, because they knew it wasn’t as good as the first season and had already commissioned a third,
a friend of the Duchess of Sussex told the Telegraph, as reported by Page Six. The claim follows intense media speculation over whether Meghan Markle would join the cast of Guy Ritchie’s action-comedy series for its upcoming third season.
Netflix has backed out as an investor in As ever, the lifestyle brand from Meghan Markle. A Netflix spokesperson said: “Meghan’s passion for elevating everyday moments in beautiful yet simple ways inspired the creation of the As Ever brand, and we are glad to have played a role… pic.twitter.com/gJTRSqdgBw”
Speculation reached a peak when Deadline reported over the summer that Markle, 45, was in talks for Season 3 of the Netflix show ahead of her return to the UK, with reports also noting she had been in advanced discussion to join the cast before a deal seemed to be off the table just 24 hours later. Netflix boss Manda Levin further fueled rumors at the Edinburgh TV Festival in August by offering a cryptic response when asked about the casting, telling an audience that all bets are off.
However, an insider told Page Six that Markle never actually received a formal offer and had participated in just a single conversation with the series casting director. She took it as an offer. And it wasn’t,
the insider stated, adding that she and Prince Harry thought it would be helpful in the moment for there to be a reason for their move.
The Marketing Strategy and Streaming Figures Behind Season Two
The second season of The Gentlemen premiered earlier in the month, starring Theo James as a duke who becomes a ruthless crime boss. According to the friend speaking to the Telegraph, leaking potential high-profile casting discussions is a deliberate publicity tactic. 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 said. The insider added that the entire episode left a sour taste in the Sussex camp, though acknowledging that Netflix got what it wanted: huge viewing figures for season two and a lot of publicity.
Separately, Ritchie, 58, initiated early interest in Markle joining the cast, though he is said to have subsequently ruled out any future appearance with a blunt Not a chance.
Acting Career Plans and Prior Netflix History
Markle is best known for starring as Rachel Zane on the legal drama Suits across seven seasons from 2011 to 2018. She stepped away from acting following her engagement to Harry, 42, in 2017. Following the couple’s move back to the UK, it was reported that Markle is cautiously reading scripts for potential television and film projects, remaining very cautious
in case news of her involvement is leaked to the press, while her focus is also on her family and her As Ever brand rather than making regular public appearances. Her television work has included the lifestyle and cookery show With Love, Meghan, which ran for two series and a Christmas special totalling 16 episodes, as well as roles in films including Remember Me and Horrible Bosses, alongside a reported role last year in the star-studded film Close Personal Friends featuring Brie Larson, Lily Collins, Jack Quaid and Henry Golding. The prospect of seeing her return to acting is expected to drive big audiences and substantial financial returns for a studio such as Netflix or Amazon. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex previously signed a contract with Netflix in 2020 to produce TV and films, believed to be worth about $100m (£75m). That contract concluded in the summer of 2025 and transitioned into a first-look deal, while Netflix also ended its separate financial backing of Markle’s lifestyle brand, As Ever, in March this year.
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