Meghan Markle urged to 'make better decisions for herself' to 'reignite her popularity'

Meghan Markle has kept a low profile even as "Suits" broke a new Nielsen streaming record as the most-watched TV show in a week after it was added to Netflix's library in June. Amid speculations of a reboot of the series in which she played Rachel Zane for seven seasons, an entertainment expert suggested that she could grab this opportunity to return to film or TV.

Mark Boardman, entertainment expert and founder of MarkMeets Media, said the Duchess of Sussex needs to "better control her career commitments and make better decisions for herself moving forward."

He told Newsweek that Meghan Markle needs to make career choices that work alongside her family if she wants to move forward in Hollywood and "reignite her popularity and dwindling fanbase." Perhaps more importantly, she must "lessen the strain on her marriage to Prince Harry, who himself has to work out his next move in what could be a turning point for them both."

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have seen a dip in popularity both in the U.S.A. and the U.K. after they released a series of "truth bombs" against the royal family. It began with their explosive Oprah interview in March 2021, followed by the release of Meghan Markle's "Archetypes" podcast on Spotify in August 2022 and then the "Harry & Meghan" Netflix series on Dec. 8, 2022.

But the project that probably earned the couple the most criticism was Prince Harry's memoir "Spare," which came out on Jan. 10 this year. The duke did not hold back in his revelations about the royal family and how they viewed his relationship with Meghan Markle and shared intimate details that other readers believe should have been kept private.

Following the public criticism, the Sussexes went through some staff changes at their non-profit organisation Archewell Foundation, including the departure of its head of content Ben Browning, and head of marketing, Fara Taylor.

Their exits, according to the couple's head of communications Ashley Hansen, meant the couple is now done with the "look back" projects and is now looking forward. One area of expertise that the Duchess of Sussex could return to is acting.

Boardman acknowledged that "the couple's move to California was for privacy." However, they could also benefit from their location as he pointed out, "with movie studios nearby and with Los Angeles and Hollywood only 100 miles away, this would provide Meghan with ample opportunity to return to TV or a larger role in film so she can return as a Hollywood star and find her own identity in the US."

As for a "Suits" reboot, Boardman said, "A successful reboot isn't solely dependent on the popularity of the original series; it hinges on multiple factors, one of which is undoubtedly the potential return of key cast members, including the much-loved Rachel Zane."

He said the "Duchess of Sussex's presence could be a linchpin in recreating the magic of the original show and ensuring a smooth transition for fans into the new iteration." However, she made it clear in a past interview that acting is no longer in the cards for her.

When asked during an interview with Variety, "Would you ever consider going back to acting?" she responded, "No. I'm done. I guess never say never, but my intention is to absolutely not." She also took pride in being able to do 100 episodes for the legal series before she quit the show ahead of her marriage to Prince Harry in May 2018.

Boardman said that Meghan Markle may not be returning to acting but she "will be watching closely [for] any reports surrounding 'Suits' and be working on, or at least keeping other projects in mind, for the remainder of the year into 2024."