NEED TO KNOW
- Meghan Markle was photographed on the set of the new movie Close Personal Friends
- The Duchess of Sussex is playing herself in the film, which marks her return to acting after eight years
- An insider told PEOPLE, “She seemed very relaxed and happy. She introduced herself to everyone and was very sweet and down-to-earth”
Meghan Markle is all smiles on set!
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The Duchess of Sussex, 44, was photographed on the Pasadena, California, set of the Amazon MGM Studios film Close Personal Friends. On Nov. 6, The Daily Mail and The Sun published images of Meghan — sporting sunglasses, a button-down shirt, a white maxi skirt and sandals — giving a wave as she got into the back seat of a Range Rover.
The movie stars Brie Larson, Lily Collins, Jack Quaid and Henry Golding, and Meghan will play herself.
An insider confirmed to PEOPLE on Nov. 5 that Meghan was on the set of the movie that day. “She has a small part,” the insider said. “She seemed very relaxed and happy. She introduced herself to everyone and was very sweet and down-to-earth.”
PEOPLE has reached out to a spokesperson for the Duchess of Sussex for comment.
Meghan was working as an actress, with a recurring role on Suits, when she met Prince Harry. The new movie marks her return to acting since leaving the legal drama.
A studio source told The Sun, which was first to report the news: “This is a massive moment for Meghan and signifies a return to doing what she truly loves. She has been swamped with offers, but this one felt right.”
“It is Meghan’s way of gently putting her toe back in the water and seeing how she enjoys being back on set,” the source said. “Everyone involved is super-excited and have been sworn to secrecy about her involvement.”
The source added, “Prince Harry is, of course, really supportive and quite simply wants Meghan to do whatever brings her joy.”
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The move comes despite Meghan previously saying she was finished with acting.
In Harry and Meghan’s 2017 engagement interview, she spoke about stepping back from acting to move to the U.K. and become a full-time working member of the royal family.
“I don’t see it as giving anything up, I just see it as a change,” she said then.
“It’s a new chapter. Right. And also keep in mind I’ve been working on my show for seven years. So we’re 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 and now it’s time to, as you said, work as a team with you,” she said, referring to Harry.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped back from their royal roles in 2020 and now are raising their two children in Meghan’s home state of California.
Despite living in Montecito, within driving distance of Los Angeles, Meghan echoed that she was not looking to get back into acting. In a 2022 interview with Variety for their Power of Women issue, Meghan said she was “done” with acting.
“I guess never say never, but my intention is to absolutely not,” she said at the time.
While Meghan hasn’t had an acting role in eight years, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex starred in the Netflix docuseries Harry & Meghan before she hosted two seasons of With Love, Meghan, a lifestyle show where she shared cooking tips, entertaining ideas and more.