While the sun may always be shining in California, recent reports have suggested that sunset could be fast approaching on Meghan Markle’s foray into lifestyle TV. 

It was revealed last week that the second season of Meghan’s cooking show, With Love, Meghan, which premiered last month, had failed to hit Netflix’s Top 10 globally, in the US and in the UK, despite the show’s comparative success in the rankings for its first series. 

With critics crucifying Meghan’s attempts to bring ‘joy’ to ordinary everyday life (as ordinary as it can be as the wife of a Prince living in a $14.65 million Montecito mansion), speculation is already spreading that the ratings – which have reportedly fallen at 500,000 viewers less – could be ‘an obituary’ for a third series following a pre-agreed Christmas special. 

Now, while Meghan, 44, is seemingly adamant that she wants to continue in the lifestyle market after pouring her heart into her new brand, As Ever, there has been a growing momentum among critics and fans alike, urging the Duchess to go back to her first love – acting. 

It’s been seven years since she left US legal drama Suits in 2018 following the cult show’s 100th episode, which was filmed ahead of her engagement to Prince Harry, whom she began dating in 2016. 

She later swore against a TV return, responding to a question by Vanity Fair in 2022, ‘No. I’m done. I guess never say never, but my intention is to absolutely not [to go back to acting]’. 

But after reports suggested that she and Harry – who signed a new but ‘lesser’ deal with Netflix last month – could be set to face a ‘crunch time’ sooner rather than later when it comes to funding their lavish lifestyle, an insider now tells us that Meghan could be finally wavering on her resolve. 

Revealing Meghan’s shock new career bombshell, the source says, ‘It’s no secret she needs a huge infusion of cash, and clearly this show is not going to be the big triumph she’d hoped so she has to start getting creative. Of course there’s still a demand for her in Hollywood, but as an actress – not so much as this lifestyle guru she’s been pushing herself as.

‘A lot of people are convinced her refusal to go back to acting is tied into her ego, like it doesn’t fit her brand as a Duchess. But apparently she’s desperate enough now to ditch those worries, because the word is she’s started looking for work again.’ 

Meghan has always been openly proud of her roots in entertainment, even sharing stories with her former Deal or No Deal ‘briefcase model’, Chrissy Teigen, when she appeared on the latest series of With Love…

In June she also opened up about her love of working as part of a TV team, saying, ‘Being back on set with With Love, Meghan was great because I realised how much I had missed my crew. I love being around a crew.’ 

However, the source says that if Meghan was to ever slip back into her acting stilettos (she famously wore sky-scraping heels for her role as paralegal Rachel Zane), she would be looking for a role that would likely land her in something as prestigious as an Emmy nominations list. 

The source says, ‘She’s not going to settle for just anything, she’ll want a prestige series, something like The White Lotus, or a big Ryan Murphy series, and the paycheck will need to be massive too.

‘She remains highly respected as an actress for her work in Suits, so there are plenty of people she can hit up for introductions and referrals. And her global fame level, regardless of her overall popularity with the general public, makes her incomparably marketable, so it’s a no-brainer to cast her in a high level project and pay through the nose to get her signature.’ 

And the source says that, with nothing too good for a Duchess, Meghan also hasn’t ruled out that her marketability could see her star alongside some of Hollywood’s biggest power players.

‘For Meghan it’s also a great chance to get out there and schmooze some of the deal makers, plus build new relationships with some of her peers,’ the insider says. 

‘She’d love to co-star with a big name like Jennifer Aniston, Julia Roberts or Brad Pitt. That’s the level she sees herself – a true A-lister – so nothing less than a role that reflects that will do for Meghan. She takes herself very seriously and believes that’s the only way to carry oneself in Hollywood in order to earn the big bucks and get ahead.’ 

However, after rebranding her lifestyle venture from American Riviera Orchard in February, the source says Meghan hopes that any foray into acting will help fund the real dream she has of making As Ever a cult go-to, similar to pal Gwyneth Paltrow’s Goop. 

They tell Closer, ‘Meghan is still totally all in on As Ever, she’s not going to give her critics the satisfaction of throwing in the towel. Yes, it’s had some setbacks but she’s still proud of herself and her team for what they’ve pulled off. 

‘She’s not giving up and it remains her biggest passion and something she considers her greatest professional accomplishment to date. But she’s not totally delusional and there’s only so much she can achieve right now without a lot more investment – and it’s asking a lot for her to keep dipping into her and Harry’s savings, whilst she’s waiting for the business to become profitable.’ 

We have also previously reported how Meghan, who famously wrote a journal during her time as a working royal, would one day like to publish her own memoir and share her own ‘truths’ about the famous royal feud. 

However, with the source confirming that Harry isn’t keen on ruffling any feathers at a difficult time for the royals as King Charles continues to receive cancer treatment, the insider says that a return to acting could be just the answer that Meghan is looking for right now. 

The insider says, ‘Acting ticks a lot of boxes because she can earn good money without the pressure of carrying a project on her own back. In other words, if she turns up and delivers a decent acting performance, she still gets paid no matter what. 

‘It won’t be tied to audience numbers or her perceived performance levels, so it’s quite straightforward and obviously lucrative, too, provided she gets the right deal. That almost certainly won’t be an issue because the entertainment bigwigs are already lining up and they’re willing to pay handsomely.’