Sorry, ‘Suits’ Fans: Meghan Markle Returning to Acting Would Be a ‘Step Down,’ Author Says
Amid speculation over what’s next as Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s careers seemingly diverge, a royal expert said acting wouldn’t be right for the Duchess of Sussex. Sure, Meghan’s appeared on screen a number of times since becoming a British royal, but were she to return to acting, it’d be a “step down.”
Acting isn’t the ‘proper next step’ for Meghan Markle because it may not be her ‘true passion’
Meghan returning to acting wouldn’t be the “proper next step,” Christopher Andersen, a royal author and expert, told Us Weekly (via Express).
“I don’t think it’s the proper next step, and I don’t think she was doing that,” Andersen said before asking, “It would be a step down, wouldn’t it?”
Andersen continued, explaining why it wouldn’t necessarily be a wise move for Meghan because acting isn’t her “true passion.”
“The same way Grace Kelly, Princess Grace — there was always talk she would go back into acting because that was her true passion,” he said. “But I’m not so sure it is Meghan’s true passion. I think she wants to be a social force.”
Meghan herself said in Netflix’s 2022 Harry & Meghan docuseries, she spent her time off from Suits, the USA TV series on which she played Rachel Zane from 2011-2017, not filming indie movies but doing charity work.
Also in the six-part docuseries, Meghan shared her being an actor had been the “biggest problem” when she met the British royal family.
Meghan doesn’t plan on ever returning to acting
Meghan might be back living in her home state of California but don’t expect her to return to acting anytime soon. She’s said multiple times since Harry entered her life she has no intention to resume her acting career.
Meghan shared in her and Harry’s 2017 engagement interview she wasn’t necessarily “giving up” acting. “I don’t see it as giving anything up, I just see it as a change,” she said, calling it a “new chapter.” The now-41-year-old also revealed she’d had a “ticked this box” feeling when Suits hit 100 episodes.
Since founding Archewell in 2020, including a foundation as well as Archewell Audio and Archewell Productions, Meghan’s reiterated she doesn’t plan to take up acting again. “No. I’m done,” she told Variety in a 2022 interview. “I guess never say never, but my intention is to absolutely not.”
More recently, in April 2023 when Meghan — and Archewell — signed with WME, the talent agency’s announcement expressly included acting wouldn’t be a “focus.” Rather, “film and television production, brand partnerships, and overall business-building” were listed as areas that “will be explored.”
Meghan’s ‘Suits’ TV show just broke a streaming record
Despite going off the air in 2019, Suits is breaking records. The USA legal drama set a new Nielsen record as the most viewed acquired program for a single week ever, per the latest Nielsen data report (via Deadline).
From June 26 – July 2, more than 3.1 billion minutes of Suits were streamed in the U.S. between Netflix and Peacock.
Suits may be headed for more record-breaking viewing. Nielsen also predicts viewing will increase after 75% of the total viewing came courtesy of the show’s first three of nine seasons.
Meghan, who joined the cast of Suits at its inception, left in season 8 after becoming engaged to Harry in November 2017.
