Though Meghan Markle is now best known for her connection to the royal family and her role as the Duchess of Sussex, she was previously known for her part in the legal drama “Suits” (via IMDb). Markle was part of the series from the very beginning, and made her first appearance in the pilot episode as Rachel Zane. Markle played a lawyer on the show for seven years, before leaving the show in 2018 to prepare for her new job as a royal (via Showbiz CheatSheet). After starring in over 100 episodes, Markle’s final appearance on the series was in the “Suits” Season 7 finale, which aired less than a month before she married Prince Harry on May 19, 2018.
While it’s almost impossible to imagine anyone other than Meghan portraying Rachel Zane, there was a chance the Duchess might not have nabbed the role. Although a few different actresses auditioned for the iconic part, one of the hopefuls continues to stand out from the rest because of her connection to Meghan’s husband.
Jenna Coleman almost played Rachel Zane in Suits
According to Showbiz Cheatsheet, acclaimed English actress Jenna Coleman (who played Queen Victoria in ITV’s “Victoria,” by the way) once auditioned for the part of Rachel Zane in “Suits.” Though Coleman didn’t land the part, she booked the role of Clara Oswald on the beloved series “Doctor Who” shortly thereafter (via IMDb). The star also landed at the center of dating rumors with Prince Harry around that same time.
In 2015, Coleman was first linked to Prince Harry after photos of the pair at a polo match were circulated (via Hello!). The actress insisted in an interview on “Good Morning Britain” that the pair weren’t romantically involved. However, they continue to be plagued with rumors that they once dated. In 2018, news publications reported that it was “pretty awkward” when Coleman ran into Harry and Meghan Markle at the Soho House in Amsterdam (via Vanity Fair). While reporters noted that it may have been uncomfortable for the rumored exes to be in the same area, Harry had Markle by his side and Coleman was with her boyfriend, actor Tom Hughes.
“[Coleman] had texts and date requests coming in from both of them. She ended up going for Tom over Harry,” a friend told Vanity Fair. “I guess she knew she had more in common with a fellow actor. Tom was really into Jenna and they hit it off.”
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