Meghan Markle Was ‘Very Relaxed and Happy’ on Set of New Movie (Exclusive)

Meghan Markle’s newest role has her feeling “very relaxed and happy.”

After eight years away from acting in film and television productions, the Duchess of Sussex is now working on a movie featuring stars Lily Collins and Brie Larson, an insider confirms to  on Wednesday, Nov. 5. The Sun was first to report the news of Meghan’s new project after she was seen on the set of Amazon MGM Studios’ Close Personal Friends in Pasadena, Calif.

“Meghan was on the set today,” the insider exclusively tells  adding that Meghan has a small role in the project.

“She seemed very relaxed and happy,” the insider continued. “She introduced herself to everyone and was very sweet and down-to-earth.”

has reached out to a spokesperson for the Duchess of Sussex for comment.

A studio source for The Sun called Meghan’s return a “massive moment” for her.

“It is Meghan’s way of gently putting her toe back in the water and seeing how she enjoys being back on set,” The Sun’s source added. “Everyone involved is super-excited, and have been sworn to secrecy about her involvement.”

Close Personal Friends also stars Jack Quaid and Henry Golding. The movie was announced in August and is directed by Jason Orley (Big Time Adolescence), according to The Hollywood Reporter. It centers on a couple who meet a celebrity couple during a trip to Santa Barbara, Calif. Filming started in London in September before moving to California.

Meghan and her husband, Prince Harry, moved to Santa Barbara in 2020 after stepping back from their royal duties in the U.K. They still live there with son Prince Archie, 6, and daughter Princess Lilibet, 4.

Meghan starred in the hit USA Network series Suits until 2018, the same year she married the Duke of Sussex. She stepped back from filming the show after they got engaged in 2017, and her final episode aired in April 2018. Since then, Meghan has only appeared in documentaries and reality shows, like With Love, Meghan.

In March, Meghan told  how filming the Netflix series pushed her beyond the comfort zone she knew from her seven seasons on Suits.

“I was never really in front of the camera like this,” she said, adding that Suits still served as “a time capsule for me — I still have the pencil skirt from the first episode! That’s the one thing I kept.” She remains close to costars like Abigail Spencer and saluted the then-upcoming Suits LA on Peacock: “I love that it gets a new breath of fresh air.” The spinoff was canceled after one season.

When Meghan and Harry sat for an interview with the BBC after their engagement, Meghan opened up about stepping away from the acting profession.

“I don’t see it as giving anything up, I just see it as a change,” Meghan said at the time.

“It’s a new chapter. Right. And also keep in mind I’ve been working on my show for seven years,” Meghan continued. “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.”