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Meghan Markle briefly returned to acting.
The Duchess of Sussex made a surprise appearance in a new ad for instant latte brand Clevr, which appeared on the company's Instagram page on Tuesday.
“Damn, you’re keeping us on our toes right now! I had to call in some reinforcements,” the caption read.
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PRINCE HARRY and MEGHAN MARKLE SHARE THEIR DIGITAL HOLIDAY CARD THROUGH THE ARCHEWELL ORGANIZATION
While the mother of two didn't speak, she appeared to be playing an intern while showing off her comedic chops.
While Clevr Blends co-founder Hannah Mendoza gave a tour of “Clevr HQ,” the former American actress is seen sitting at her desk as she types on her computer, handing Mendoza a coffee cup and giving another team member a fist bump before bursts out laughing.
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Kinsey Schofield, host of the “To Di For Daily” podcast, told Fox News Digital that the ad may be a glimpse of things to come.
Meghan Markle played the role of Rachel Zane in the legal drama Suits. (Christos Kalohoridis/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal)
“I think this is a step towards content creation that falls into the influencer category,” Schofield said. “This is Meghan showing people, probably her people, what she is capable of. Plus lots of free press like we’re now giving to your coffee friends.”
“Meghan the influencer is coming in 2024,” Schofield added.
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The 42-year-old previously appeared in the legal series “Suits” for seven seasons. She left the series after getting engaged to Prince Harry in 2017. Markle became Duchess of Sussex when she married the British prince in 2018.
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Meghan Markle gave up acting when she got engaged to Prince Harry. (Portal/Mike Segar)
The couple stepped down as senior royals and moved to California in 2020. Since then, she has taken on the role of producer on several projects, including the couple's Netflix docuseries Harry & Meghan.
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It is noted that Markle is an investor in Clevr. At the end of 2020 she announced her commitment to the startup.
“This investment supports a passionate entrepreneur who prioritizes building community alongside her business,” Markle said at the time, according to Forbes. According to the outlet, the size of their investment was not disclosed.
Mendoza praised Markle as the company's “first investor, advisor and biggest Clevr advocate.”
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Meghan Markle served as a producer on the Netflix documentary series “Harry & Meghan.” (Netflix)
The product was named to Oprah's Favorite Things list in 2021.
“She's drawing the attention of her celebrity to a company that she benefits financially from and believes in,” royal expert Shannon Felton Spence told Fox News Digital.
“However, I don't think it should go unnoticed how much she's done alone in the last few months,” Felton Spence shared. “She is intentionally and strategically separating her brand from her husband… Remember, she signed with William Morris, not Harry. I think it’s future-proof.”
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Meghan Markle arrives at Variety's Power of Women event at Mother Wolf on November 16, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (LISA OCONNOR/AFP)
“She has brought more out of the royal brand than ever before,” Felton Spence continued. “Now she has to build something on that foundation.”
When Markle appeared on the red carpet for Variety's Power of Women Gala, the Duchess teased that she was working on several “exciting things” as part of her and Harry's production company, Archewell Productions. Markle told a reporter at the event that she couldn't wait to announce what they're working on and that they're “really proud of what we're creating.”
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Many have speculated that Markle might return to acting, especially after she was signed by WME in April. The talent agency is led by CEO Ari Emanuel, who is known for his aggressive deal-making skills, making him “one of the most powerful figures in Hollywood,” Page Six reported. He inspired the character Ari Gold in the HBO series Entourage.
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex parted ways with Spotify this year. (DOMINIC LIPINSKI/AFP)
The outlet noted that WMC will assume representation for Archewell, the organization run by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
While the Duchess and her team will deal with film and television production, brand partnerships and “general business building,” “acting will not be a focus,” Variety reported.
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In June, the couple announced they were parting ways with Spotify less than a year after releasing their podcast “Archetypes.” It's unclear why the Markle-hosted podcast left the platform. Spotify and Archewell Audio said in a joint statement that the decision was mutual.
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Meghan Markle became the Duchess of Sussex when she married the British prince in 2018. (Aaron Chown)
In August this year, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex bought the rights to Carley Fortune's best-selling romance novel Meet Me at the Lake and plan to turn the page-turner into a feature film.
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Doug Eldridge, an agent and celebrity marketing expert, told Fox News Digital that it wasn't surprising that Markle would show her support for Clevr.
“Ryan Reynolds has been the pitchman for his startups, while Ashton Kutcher is more of a background investor,” he explained. “Markle doesn't have the same acting resume as these two, but she certainly has the name recognition, and that's important from an advertising perspective. If she has an equity stake in the company, leveraging her celebrity not only increases exposure but also boosts sales, giving her a bigger and better return on investment. If that was the end goal, then making a subtle cameo was a smart move.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have acquired the rights to the romance novel “Meet Me at the Lake” for a Netflix production. (Chris Jackson)
“Markle could also try to be an advocate for women-owned businesses and female founders,” Eldridge said. “Their core demo is largely female, so that would make sense, assuming their intentions are true and their execution is consistent.”
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But not everyone thinks Markle's latest move is smart.
Christopher Andersen, author of “The King,” told Fox News Digital that it would take more than one ad for Markle to win over critics after her royal exit.
“When Sarah Ferguson became a spokesperson for Weight Watchers, the response, at least in the United States, was overwhelmingly positive,” Andersen said. “These commercials were clever and quite open. She didn't want to be sweet. She was there to sell a product. The Duchess of York was likeable in a way that… the Duchess of Sussex just isn't… Maybe it's Fergie's fault. She never seemed like a complainer, even after being more or less financially excluded from the royal family and forced to fend for herself to take care of yourself.
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Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York, was a spokesperson for Weight Watchers. (Bob Levey/WireImage for Ketchum Entertainment Marketing)
“I'm sure Meghan will take a more direct approach to promoting the products she and Harry have invested in in the future,” Andersen continued. “She will face more trouble for this, especially in the UK, but at least it seems a lot more honest. Judging by this sophomore Instagram ad, it seems like the Sussexes still have a ways to go growing up.”
In February this year, Schofield told Fox News Digital that the duchess may be considering a return to her now-defunct lifestyle website The Tig.
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“Inspired by Gwyneth Paltrow, Meghan started 'The Tig' at the height of her 'Suits' fame,” said Schofield. “I think 'The Tig' fits perfectly with Meghan's ultimate goal, which seems to be to be an influencer rather than a royal.”
The Duke and Duchess of Sussex live in California with their two young children. (Andrew Milligan – WPA Pool)
Markle shut down her lifestyle website months after she began her relationship with Harry in 2017. The website was created in 2014 and aims to share Markle's personal thoughts as well as her passions for food and travel. The name is inspired by the Italian wine Tignanello.
A spokesperson for the duchess did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment at the time.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.