Meghan Markle’s time on Suits came to a fairly abrupt end after she formed a romantic connection with an English Prince, but the Royal influence began to bleed into the show even before her departure. Suits began airing in 2011, and it served as a launchpad for the talented young Meghan Markle due to her impressive performance in the role of Rachel Zane.
However, when Markle began dating Prince Harry of the British Royals, her whole life began to change. Obviously, the years since their relationship began have been tumultuous in some ways, with a very public breakup from the rest of the Royal Family, but it’s interesting to look back at how it started with subtle changes before Markle officially tied the knot.
The Royal Family Blocked Meghan Markle’s Character From Saying “Poppycock”
In 2023, Suits creator Aaron Korsh sat down for an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, where he revealed that while Markle was still on the show, the Royals reviewed Suits’ scripts and put a stop to Markle’s character saying one word: “poppycock.”
Poppycock is a word used to indicate general nonsense, and though many believe it is associated with the British, it’s actually of American origin. And for Korsh, the word held some sentimental value, because it was a reference to a common term used by his wife’s family, and a nod he hoped to extend their way in the show.
Unfortunately, the Royals didn’t see a lighter side in the word, and potentially due to concerns around the scene being clipped to have Markle say something more vulgar, they forcefully pushed back to make sure it was erased and replaced in the script.
How Suits Handled Meghan Markle’s Exit
Evidently, Markle’s relationship spelled the end of her time on Suits, and by the end of season 7, they wrote her character out, along with Patrick J. Adams, who played her on-screen love interest, Mike Ross. Adams felt that it didn’t make sense for Mike and Rachel to break up, and any other effort to split them in the show would be disingenuous, so he opted to leave with Markle.
Just a short time before their exit from the show, Gina Torres, who played Jessica Pearson, had already left partway through season 6, which meant the show had to reinvent itself. Shifting focus to other characters, and bringing in some fresh faces to try and keep it afloat. Unfortunately, by season 9, the show had lost a lot of traction, and it ended.
What Happened To Rachel After Meghan Markle Left Suits
Despite Markle stepping away from Suits, Rachel Zane’s story continued in the background, though very little is revealed about major life updates. Rachel and Mike move to Seattle, where they set up a legal clinic together that specializes in class-action lawsuits.
In this way, the couple is able to continue practicing law, which is their passion, and helping those in need, which was repeatedly shown to be a core value for both Rachel and Mike. They also got married, and while Mike returned sporadically towards the end of the original show’s run, Markle remained retired from acting as she focused on her duties as a member of the Royal Family.
Of course, today, the situation between Meghan and Harry and the rest of the Royals is much more distant, and Meghan and Harry appear to be exercising a lot more freedom in terms of how they are portrayed without Royal oversight. Still, the moment that Aaron Korsh wanted to include in Suits to honor his family was an unfortunate victim of the overall circumstances.
- Release Date
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2011 – 2019
- Network
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USA Network
- Showrunner
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Aaron Korsh
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Gabriel Macht
Harvey Specter
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This story originally appeared on Screenrant
