Meghan Markle’s Royal Patronage Might Mean Return to Acting for the ‘Suits’ Alum

Meghan Markle may be headed back to show business thanks to her new royal patronage handed down by the Queen.

According to leading royal historian Robert Lacey, a consultant for Netflix original series The Crown, the Duchess of Sussex’s new patronage of the National Theatre, one of the U.K.’s most prominent, publicly funded, performing arts venues, will offer Markle the opportunity to go back to her acting roots and even explore more areas of show business.

“[It] is a canny and shrewd [assignment] on the Queen’s part,” Lacey told PEOPLE. “If Meghan is ever missing the excitement of acting, this will put her back in touch with show business in a very creative way. It is tailor-made for her and she will throw herself into it.”

Lacey added that it is possible royal watchers will see “her getting involved with productions or even directing something” and that when it comes to the possibility of Markle dipping her toes back into acting, “it’s not out of the question that we’d see a member of the royal family performing on the stage of the National Theatre one day.”

Along with three other patronages – The Association of Commonwealth Universities, Smart Works, and Mayhew – the National Theater will be among the key issues she will champion throughout her life as a royal.

The role of patronage of the National Theatre was handed down to the new royal from her grandmother-in-law, Queen Elizabeth, who held the role for 45 years before passing it on.

News of the passing on of the role did not come as much of a surprise given Markle’s life pre-royalty as an actress. In fact, her acting career was something she had to give up following her engagement to Prince Harry and subsequent royal nuptials.

Appearing on the USA series Suits as Rachel Zane from the show’s pilot in 2011 through its Season 7 finale, which aired just before her May 19 wedding, it was recently speculated that the Duchess could be making her return to the small screen in a short 2-minute cameo for the series.

A source suggested that a number of storylines had already begun being tossed around, including “a storyline where Rachel and Mike have created new lives for themselves and are starting a family, with Rachel showing an obvious baby bump.”

NBC Universals executives, their eyes on the mega ratings a royal appearance would bring for the network, had reportedly been willing to write a multi-million dollar donation to a charity of Markle’s choice should she accept the proposition and make a brief appearance.

The news seems to be nothing more than rumors, however, with a separate source stating that “there are no plans for her to return to the show.”