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Guy Ritchie is set to return as director for the third series of The Gentlemen
The uncertainty surrounding Meghan Markle's rumoured involvement in Guy Ritchie's Netflix gangster series The Gentlemen has deepened following the director's confirmation of a third season.
There was no reference whatsoever to the Duchess of Sussex in the announcement.
The new series is going ahead, though casting has not yet been finalised.
In a statement to Variety, Ritchie spoke only of his creative ambitions: "The ambition of 'The Gentlemen' has accelerated, the world has expanded and the consequences carry weight.
“A third season felt inevitable, and I'm looking forward to pushing the boundaries of it further."
When GB News sought comment from Netflix regarding Meghan's potential participation, the streaming giant refused to respond.
A Hollywood website reported last Friday that the 45-year-old was in preliminary discussions about a possible role in the show's upcoming series.
That claim surfaced just hours after reports suggested she was considering a return to acting as part of her relocation to Britain.
The timing proved notable: the reports landed merely two days after it emerged that Meghan and Prince Harry would be moving back to the UK for an indefinite period.
Their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, are set to begin attending school in the UK from next month.
Senior figures at Netflix are understood to have not known of any prospective offer to the Duchess of Sussex for The Gentlemen, which has led to suggestions that any contact may have occurred directly with Ritchie.
He is set to return as director for the third series, which he co-writes with Matthew Read.
There is growing speculation that these reported conversations were strategically deployed to create the impression that Meghan remains a sought-after figure and that her working relationship with Netflix continues to flourish.
Meanwhile, the duchess has pressed on with her own promotional activity.
She posted a fresh video on her As Ever Instagram account featuring herself picking apples, describing it as "a little hint of what's coming."
Meaning while the Royal Family, the King among them, are continuing their traditional summer break at Balmoral.
