The Gentlemen 'doesn't need Meghan Markle to boost publicity', source says after claims that Netflix 'used Duchess to promote series'

Insiders on hit Guy Ritchie series The Gentlemen have dismissed claims that Netflix 'used' the Duchess of Sussex to promote the new season of the show.

Earlier this week the streaming service was accused by sources close to Meghan of revealing her potential involvement with the crime drama to boost its ratings.

But that claim was rejected out of hand by those with close ties to The Gentlemen's production team.

'This is not a show in need of stunt casting,' a show insider told The Times.

In August, Hollywood entertainment website Deadline reported that Meghan was in preliminary talks over a possible role in the third series of the Netflix crime drama. 

The news came only two days after she and Prince Harry were revealed to be indefinitely returning to Britain with their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. 

But less than one day after news of the talks was disclosed, they were abandoned amid a fierce 'backlash' from viewers. 

On August 22, Tina Brown, the former editor-in-chief of Vanity Fair and the New Yorker, wrote on blogging site Substack: 'I learned this morning that the casting of Meghan Markle in season 3 of Guy Ritchie's series The Gentlemen has been withdrawn. 

'The backlash in the UK was so intense, it became untenable to go forward.'

Two months on, friends of the Duchess broke cover to claim Meghan was 'used to help promote' season two of the show, which premiered last month and stars Theo James and Kaya Scodelario.

One source said she was used to bolster publicity as Netflix knew season two of the show was not 'as good as the first season' and they had 'already commissioned a third' series. 

'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.

They also claimed the ordeal has 'left a bit of a sour taste in the Sussex camp's mouth,' and added Netflix ultimately 'got what it wanted' - publicity and higher viewing figures for the new season. 

Audience figures showed official ratings for The Gentlemen dropped by approximately 15 per cent from the debut of the first season, which was streamed by 3.5 million viewers in March 2024.

The first episode of season two had around three million British viewers a week following its release to Netflix. 

However, whether or not Meghan was ever really in the running for The Gentlemen has also been questioned.   

Director and creator Guy Ritchie is said to have responded with a simple: 'Really?' when the Duchess's name was first mentioned, according to The Sun. 

When asked if she had a realistic chance of appearing in the series, he reportedly responded: 'Not a chance.'

Harry and Meghan also face the prospect of a radically different relationship with streaming giant Netflix following the departure of Bela Bajaria. 

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.  

A Netflix consultant who worked closely with Bajaria told The Times: 'Effectively their biggest champion has gone and they are uncertain about who will be shouting for their cause in the future.

'Teams at the company were well aware of how she was fiercely loyal to the couple and determined to prove they were a successful signing, even when the response from viewers was different.'

Before her marriage to Harry, the Duchess starred in the popular US legal drama Suits, playing lawyer Rachel Zane for seven seasons. 

But after her last episode aired in 2018 and she joined the Royal Family, she paused her acting career and has not had any parts since.

In 2022, Meghan insisted she had no plans to return to acting – telling Variety magazine: 'I'm done. I guess never say never but my intention is to absolutely not.' 

However, she has recently dabbled in a return to acting - having a small part in the upcoming US film Close Personal Friends, making a cameo appearance as herself alongside Lily Collins and Brie Larson.

She also appeared as a guest judge on MasterChef Australia earlier this year, after filming the episode in Melbourne in April during a four-day tour of the country with Harry.

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 of Sussex and Netflix have been approached for comment.