It’s been just over a week since Harry and Meghan made their abrupt return to the U.K. — and the couple have kept their plans deliberately vague, leaving ample space for speculation to stir.
Within hours after the couple announced they would relocate their family from the United States to Britain, reports emerged that Meghan was considering a return to acting, with speculation centering on a potential U.K.-based role.
Reports suggested that Meghan was in advanced discussions for a role in the Netflix drama “The Gentlemen.” But at the world premiere of the series’ second season, the cast was quick to dismiss the speculation.
“A lot of hot air,” said Theo James, one of show’s stars.
“We’ve got a lot of pretty women in this (series),” said Vinnie Jones, another cast member. “So I’m not sure there’s room for any more.”
The exchange puts a dent in theories that Meghan’s acting career was motivation for the move. Still, a return to acting would mark a notable shift for Meghan, who largely left that career behind after marrying Harry and becoming a working member of the royal family for a brief time.
Since the couple stepped away from their roles as senior members of the royal family in January 2020, they have made several forays into the entertainment industry, moving between podcasts, documentaries and producing, among other ventures.
The results have been uneven. Some of their early projects attracted significant attention, most notably the Netflix documentary “Harry & Meghan” and Harry’s memoir, “Spare.” More recent ventures have generated less momentum, leaving the couple without an obvious next chapter in entertainment.
Their $100 million deal with Netflix was scaled back to a reduced “first look” deal in March, while their $25 million multiyear Spotify deal was abruptly severed in 2023.
And there are currently no plans for a third season of Meghan’s Netflix lifestyle series, “With Love, Meghan,” which drew a largely unenthusiastic response from critics.
After years of trying different avenues in the entertainment industry, there are few obvious lanes left unexplored. So while there are no concrete reports Meghan will return to acting, the idea is not far-fetched.
Still, the couple has offered few details about their decision to return. Their representative said that, after their July visit, they had chosen to spend “an extended period in the U.K. this autumn,” giving their children the opportunity to spend more time in a country that remains important to their family’s history.
The statement gave no firm timetable for their stay, and there has been no indication that the couple plans to resume their former roles as senior working royals. They have reportedly kept their home in California, with plans to visit regularly, suggesting that their time in Britain is not necessarily a permanent relocation.
For the couple — whose post-royal life has included a series of professional experiments — the extended stay in Britain could serve as a kind of trial run for a different version of life outside the monarchy. What that version looks like remains largely unclear, giving speculation plenty of room to fill in the gaps.