The mystery surrounding Meghan Markle's potential role in Guy Ritchie's The Gentleman on Netflix has deepened after he confirmed the third series of the show without mentioning her. 

Meghan, 45, was reported by a Hollywood website last Friday to be in preliminary talks over a possible role in the gangster hit's third series. 

The news came two days after the duchess and Prince Harry were revealed to be returning to the UK for an indefinite period, with their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, starting school in the UK next month.

Royal author Tina Brown claimed on Saturday that Meghan's offer of a role had already been withdrawn because the 'backlash was so intense it became untenable'. 

It came as industry experts claimed talk of Meghan being linked with a role in the show could have been leaked as a cynical PR tactic to create a buzz around her upcoming arrival in the UK. 

Variety today confirmed that season three of The Gentlemen is happening, adding that casting is yet to be confirmed. 

Ritchie also gave a statement to the magazine, in which he made no mention of the duchess. 

'The ambition of "The Gentlemen" has accelerated, the world has expanded and the consequences carry weight,' he said. 

'A third season felt inevitable, and I'm looking forward to pushing the boundaries of it further.' 

Netflix declined to comment on Meghan's potential involvement in the show when approached by the Daily Mail. 

Ritchie will be returning to direct season three of the show, which he co-writes with Matthew Read. 

Meghan today continued her publicity blitz with a new video on her As Ever Instagram page – showing her picking apples as 'a little hint of what's coming' – as the Royal Family, including the King, carried on their summer holidays in Balmoral.

The claim of the duchess being in The Gentlemen was made hours after an Australian journalist said she was eyeing a return to acting as part of her move back to Britain.

Bosses at Netflix are believed to have been unaware of any potential offer to the duchess for The Gentlemen, suggesting she spoke directly with Ritchie.

Speculation has been mounting that these apparent conversations were used to make it appear that Meghan is in demand and her relationship with Netflix is strong and ongoing.

PR expert Mark Borkowski said he felt 'the timing of this has an ulterior motive to do what it's doing, to generate as much attention as possible without saying anything at all', given the revelations are happening at a quieter time of the news cycle in August.

Addressing claims that the leak was deliberate, he told the Daily Mail: 'It's totally plausible because there's not been a single quote from the production, so they're enjoying all the publicity, it's good for them.

'So there must have been - even if it was a stunt - a tacit arrangement that they were going to do this between publicists. What a good idea for everybody that we bask in the glow of attention.'

Mr Borkowski added: 'There was a sort of denial that she was being given the part, but she's got enough contacts in Netflix to do this. So everything feels like a series of pseudo events.

'We know that the press in August is lighter, Parliament isn't sitting, so they've actually got their own Bayeux Tapestry weaving various narratives without saying anything.

'It does strike me that they're having a good old time raising awareness, trying the media and getting instant feedback. It's a free marketing overview for their brand, it's research.'

Harry and Meghan have not commented on their reasons for relocating to the UK.