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British RoyalsThe Sussexes

Suits creator reveals how the show planned Meghan Markle’s exit

Meghan Markle’s final episodes of Suits begin on 28 March, when the second half of the seventh season premieres on USA Network. But Aaron Korsh, the Suits creator, revealed that they’d planned to write her off as her relationship with Prince Harry intensified.

“I made a decision early on,” said Suits creator Aaron Korsh in an interview to promote the upcoming season. “I don’t remember exactly when in the season, but Meghan’s relationship looked like it was going well.

“I guessed that if she married a prince that she wasn’t going to stay on the show.”

Meghan has been a main cast member of Suits since it premiered in 2013 on USA Network, starring as paralegal-turned-lawyer Rachel Zane, the love interest of main character Mike Ross, played by Patrick J. Adams.

“We decided, in our hearts, to bank on her finding love and kind of having a fairy tale ending in her own life and assuming that good things were going to happen for her,” said Korsh.

In the end, Korsh said they went the route of writing off Rachel Zane instead of killing the character, in case Meghan’s relationship changed.

“It would be easier to undo a decision to write her off than it would be to at the last minute have to make her leave. She would have to get hit by a bus or something, and I didn’t want to do that. So, as the year progressed we were assuming Meghan was going to go.”

The back half of the seventh season is expected to feature a wedding between Meghan’s character and Mike Ross, with Meghan’s final appearance scheduled for 26 April when it airs in the UK.

It was confirmed earlier this year that Patrick J. Adams is also leaving Suits and that Katherine Heigl will join the cast for its upcoming eighth season.

Meghan has said that she will retire from acting to focus on charity with her upcoming wedding to Prince Harry.

About author

Jess Ilse is the Assistant Editor at Royal Central. She specialises in the British, Danish, Norwegian and Swedish Royal Families and has been following royalty since Queen Elizabeth II’s Golden Jubilee. Jess has provided commentary for media outlets in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Jess works in communications and her debut novel THE MAJESTIC SISTERS is now available.