The newly British-based Duchess of Sussex may be just days away from her much-vaunted return to acting, one of her potential co-stars has let slip.

Vinnie Jones, who plays loyal groundskeeper Geoff Seacombe in Guy Ritchie’s Netflix drama The Gentlemen, has revealed production work for the show’s third series begins “next week”.

“There is a lot of hype about it at the moment. We start next week and I’m looking forward to it,” Jones said when he turned out with many of his co-stars for the red carpet premiere of season two in London on Thursday (local time).

While Meghan Markle is yet to even be officially confirmed to have a role in the new show, Jones appeared to question the idea.

“We have got a lot of pretty girls in this, I’m not sure there is room for another one,” he joked.

Room for one more? Stars of season two Giancarlo Esposito, Joely Richardson, Ray Winstone, Theo James, Kaya Scodelario, Jasmine Blackborow and Vinnie Jones. Photo: AAP

Meghan and husband Prince Harry last week completed their surprise return to Britain after six years in self-imposed exile in North America. They flew into Birmingham on a private charter flight and have not been seen publicly since.

The couple is said to be renting a (non-royal) residence somewhere outside London, with children Archie and Lilibet due to start at a British school next week.

Neither the duke or duchess has confirmed why they decided to return to Harry’s home country. But Buckingham Palace sources were quick to make it clear they weren’t clocking back on as working royals.

Speculation has been rife that part of the motivation for the trans-Atlatnic shift was a role for Meghan in Ritchie’s hit comedy action series about a duke turned drug baron.

The Gentlemen was a major hit when it first dropped in 2024, but had not even been confirmed for a third series when Meghan’s possible role emerged.

Variety reported that the duchess was in talks to join the cast of the series, which is to be shot in the Cotswolds. However, rival Hollywood publication Deadline said the discussions were “hypothetical”.

Just hours later it emerged that the apparent offer had been withdrawn. Royal expert and former editor-in-chief of Vanity Fair, Tina Brown, posted on X that the invitation to Meghan had been rescinded due to “backlash”.

“I have heard that Meghan Markle’s role in Guy Ritchie’s Netflix series The Gentlemen is OFF. Public backlash was too fierce,” she wrote.

“This does not bode well for Meghan’s acting comeback in the UK.”

The Sussexes are reportedly planning to stay in Britain for at least six months. Meghan will keep running her As Ever lifestyle business from their new home and will be back and forth to California, where they still have their property in Montecito.

The Gentlemen‘s lead actor also mused about Meghan’s likely role in the drama. Theo James, who plays Edward, the Duke of Halstead, said the real-life duchess would be a great addition.

“I think she’d fit in well: Wealth, violence and treachery,” he said on Thursday.

James also warned it would be “very problematic” to film with the Duchess of Sussex while maintaining a low profile.

“Think about it in reality: You couldn’t even film. You would have to close down every street on the planet to be able to get something that didn’t have photographers all over it,” he said.

Harry and Meghan and their children are now residents of Britain.

James and Jones were joined on the red carpet on Thursday by co-stars Maya Jama, Hugh Bonneville, Vinnie Jones, Kaya Scodelario, Joely Richardson and Ray Winstone.

James had to admit he didn’t know much more than anyone else.

“It’s fascinating to watch, but ultimately it’s a lot of rumour,” he told BBC News, while Jama said: “I’d be the last person to know!”

Ritchie was also at the premiere but didn’t speak to the media. Writer and executive producer Matthew Read told BBC News they were looking forward to “bringing up more energy and surprises in series two and further on in the series”.

“I just don’t think it’s right to speculate at this stage, so I wouldn’t like to say yes or no,” he said.