Meghan Markle is ‘very excited’ to move back to the UK: Here’s why

Meghan Markle may be ready for her biggest career pivot in years. The Duchess of Sussex has reportedly been offered a significant acting project based in the United Kingdom, just as she and Prince Harry prepare to move back to Britain with their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet.

PEOPLE reported on August 21 that the still-undisclosed project would represent Meghan’s most substantial acting role since she left Suits. The outlet says the opportunity was also one of several factors that helped determine the timing of the Sussex family’s return to the U.K.

The development comes as Harry, Meghan and their children prepare for an extended stay in Britain after six years based primarily in California. HELLO!, Reuters and the Associated Press have separately confirmed the family’s plans to relocate to the U.K. for an extended period. 

And despite the attention surrounding their return, this isn’t being described as a return to life as working royals.

Meghan Markle’s New Acting Role Could Be Her Biggest Since Suits

Details about Meghan Markle’s new acting project remain closely guarded. PEOPLE reports that Meghan, 45, has been offered a “major new project” based in the U.K. A spokesperson for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex declined to comment and did not deny the report. 

Australian royal correspondent Bronte Coy, who first reported details of the project, told BBC Radio 4’s Today program that she had been informed the opportunity was “significant” and that Meghan was “very excited about it.” 

Meghan technically returned to acting in 2025 when she filmed a cameo as herself in the Amazon MGM comedy Close Personal Friends. The new U.K.-based project, however, is being positioned as something considerably bigger and potentially much closer to a full-scale Meghan Markle acting comeback. 

When Did Meghan Markle Stop Acting?

Before becoming the Duchess of Sussex, Meghan was best known for playing paralegal Rachel Zane on the legal drama Suits.

She filmed her final episodes in 2017 as her relationship with Prince Harry moved toward marriage. The couple announced their engagement in November of that year and married at St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle in May 2018.

At the time of their engagement, Meghan discussed leaving acting behind and moving into a “new chapter.” For years, that appeared to be the end of her traditional acting career.

After Meghan and Harry stepped back from their roles as senior working members of the royal family in 2020, the couple relocated to California and pursued independent media and business projects. Meghan eventually returned to television as herself through projects including her lifestyle programming, but scripted acting remained largely off the table.

That changed in 2025.

Meghan Markle Already Tested an Acting Comeback in Close Personal Friends

Meghan filmed a cameo as herself in Close Personal Friends, appearing alongside a cast that includes Lily Collins, Brie Larson, Jack Quaid and Henry Golding. She was spotted filming in Pasadena, California, in November 2025. A source on the production described Meghan as “very relaxed and happy” and said she was “very sweet and down-to-earth” while introducing herself to people on set. 

Jack Quaid later offered his own memorable reaction to working with Meghan. “Yeah, no, it was insane,” the actor said when asked about her appearance, before praising the movie’s ensemble and describing the atmosphere among the cast. 

That cameo was small, but it effectively ended an acting hiatus that stretched back to her departure from Suits. The newly reported U.K. opportunity could be a much bigger test of whether acting will once again become a meaningful part of Meghan’s professional life.

Why Are Meghan Markle and Prince Harry Moving Back to the U.K.?

Meghan’s potential acting project appears to be only one part of the Sussexes’ decision. Reuters reports that Harry and Meghan plan to move from California to a location outside London for an extended period, with Archie, 7, and Lilibet, 5, attending school in Britain. 

The Associated Press similarly reports that the children have enrolled in British schools and are expected to begin classes in September. The family plans to live in a private, non-royal residence outside London. 

Their California chapter isn’t necessarily ending, though. The Sussexes plan to keep their Montecito home, and AP reports that they will also retain their vacation property in Portugal. 

Will Meghan Markle and Prince Harry Become Working Royals Again?

No indication currently suggests that Meghan and Harry are returning as working members of the royal family. AP reports that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex will remain non-working royals despite relocating to Britain.

Reuters likewise reports that they will not live in a royal residence and will maintain the non-working status established after their 2020 departure. 

King Charles Could See More of Archie and Lilibet

The move also puts the Sussex family geographically closer to King Charles III. According to AP, Charles was informed about Harry and Meghan’s plans shortly before the news became public. Harry, Meghan, Archie and Lilibet had visited Britain the previous month, including spending time with the King at Highgrove. 

It marked an important family moment. Archie and Lilibet had not seen their grandfather since Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations in 2022, according to AP.  

Harry has also been increasingly open about wanting reconciliation with his family. “I would love reconciliation with my family,” Harry told the BBC in 2025, adding, “There’s no point in continuing to fight anymore.” 

His relationship with King Charles appears to have improved, although his relationship with Prince William reportedly remains strained.

Reuters reports that Harry and William are still barely on speaking terms despite the apparent thaw between Harry and his father.