Meghan Markle could be set for a major return to acting, with the Duchess of Sussex reportedly in talks for a role in Guy Ritchie’s The Gentlemen.

The Duchess, who is returning to the UK later this month with Prince Harry and their two children, is said to be in early discussions about joining the crime comedy for its third series.

The show, starring Theo James and Kaya Scodelario, returns for its second series on September 3.

According to People, a third series will be announced soon, with Meghan, 45, being considered for a role that is still in development.

The talks are said to be in very early stages, with The Hollywood Reporter suggesting that the role “is currently being written, so it’s unclear how many episodes she would appear in.”

If the deal goes ahead, it would mark Meghan’s most significant acting roles since she left Suits in 2017.

The TV series follows young British soldier Eddie Horniman (James) who unexpectedly inherits his family's massive country estate.

Arriving back in England, Mr Horniman quickly discovers that the land is being used as a secret, multi-million-pound marijuana empire run by a powerful underground criminal syndicate led by Susie Glass (Scodelario).

The show is a spin-off of the 2019 film of the same name which starred Hugh Grant, Matthew McConaughey, Charlie Hunnam and Colin Farrell.

Meghan was starring in the long-running legal drama Suits when she met Prince Harry in 2016.

She filmed her final scenes in late 2017, ahead of the couple’s wedding the following year, and said at the time that she was stepping away from acting to embark on a “new chapter.”

In the nine years since, she has had two children, launched a lifestyle brand, co-created and starred in a Netflix series and written a children’s book.

There are reports the actress could also seek a role on stage in London amid a pursuit of a return to acting.

The first series of The Gentlemen was primarily filmed at Badminton House in South Gloucestershire, 10 miles from the King’s Highgrove home and near the Cotswolds, which is favoured by celebrities.

A leading talent manager said that directors and producers will “absolutely want to meet” Meghan if she returns to acting, saying he had “no doubt there would be interest in her”.

Professor Jonathan Shalit, chairman of InterTalent Rights Group, added: “If Meghan decided tomorrow that she seriously wanted to act again, directors and producers would absolutely want to meet her and audition her.

“Would she automatically be handed every role she wanted? Of course not. Nobody is. But would doors open? Absolutely.”