Meghan Markle and Prince Harry released a statement declaring their intention to step back as senior royals and become ‘financially independent.’ This raises the question: how will they fund their lifestyle? It’s possible the 38-year-old Duchess of Sussex could return to acting.
Before joining the royal family, Meghan Markle was a successful actress, racking up credits on the Hallmark Channel, in films like “Remember Me,” and as the star of USA’s legal drama “Suits.” According to the Mirror, she earned around $50,000 per episode of ‘Suits,’ which she starred in for seven seasons. She also supplemented her income with brand partnerships and through her now-defunct lifestyle website, The Tig.
View this post on Instagram
In a November 2017 BBC interview, Markle explained why she was giving up her TV career. “It’s a new chapter. And also, keep in mind, I’d been working on my show for seven years. So we were very, very fortunate to be able to have that sort of longevity on a series. And for me, once we hit the 100-episode marker, I thought, you know what, I have ticked this box, and I feel really proud of the work I’ve done there.”
Earlier this year, Markle’s “Suits” co-star Wendell Pierce told the Evening Standard he hopes she can return to the arts one day. “The thing I am very interested in is if she will ever get the opportunity to act again. I know protocol doesn’t allow her to do it now…I shudder to think she’s not going to get that any more.”
If Meghan does return to acting, it won’t be on “Suits,” as the series aired its final episode in July 2019. While creator Aaron Korsh considered asking Markle to reprise her role as Rachel Zane for the finale, he decided against reaching out: “I thought about asking, and I thought about even using audio footage that we have to come up with something, and in the end I didn’t ask, and I just thought, I’m going to respect her new life and not put her in the position of having to ask. We decided not to put her in that position so I never asked.”
It sounds like Meghan and Harry will reveal more information about their plans in upcoming announcements. They concluded today’s post, “We look forward to sharing the full details of this exciting next step in due course, as we continue to collaborate with Her Majesty The Queen, The Prince of Wales, The Duke of Cambridge and all relevant parties. Until then, please accept our deepest thanks for your continued support.”