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Meghan and Prince Harry maintain a first-look deal with Netflix

Netflix's UK scripted chief Manda Levin declined to rule out Meghan Markle appearing in the third series of The Gentlemen when questioned at the Edinburgh TV Festival on Wednesday.

The streaming giant's executives offered no further comment on the matter during the panel.

However, the conspicuous absence of a denial has fuelled speculation that the Duchess of Sussex could be set for a return to acting.

Meghan, who previously starred in the legal drama Suits, has been the subject of intense interest over a potential role in Guy Ritchie's crime series.

Deadline first reported that the Duchess was in discussions about joining the show, which received an official third-series renewal earlier this week.

Those familiar with the situation indicated that conversations remained at a preliminary stage.

Whether the talks will ultimately result in a deal is not yet clear.

A high-profile role in The Gentlemen, which shoots in the UK, would represent a significant piece of stunt casting, likely to draw considerable attention and new audiences to the programme.

The former actress has not taken on a scripted television role since departing Suits ahead of her marriage to Prince Harry in 2018.

Meghan and Prince Harry maintain a first-look deal with Netflix, under which they have multiple projects in development spanning both film and television.

A role in The Gentlemen would therefore keep the arrangement within the same streaming platform.

The second series of the show is due to launch on September 3, with Theo James reprising his role as Eddie Horniman, a man who inherits a large country estate from his father, only to find it sits at the centre of a cannabis operation.

The third series was formally commissioned earlier this week.