Why Meghan Markle’s Royal Ties Forced A Script Change On Suits—Which Word Did The Palace Ban?
Meghan Markle’s royal connection led to a surprising script change on Suits. The Royal Family banned a certain word from the show—what was it, and why did they step in?
Meghan Markle’s royal ties caused more than just a media frenzy; they led to a script change on Suits. The Royal Family had certain words banned from the show after Meghan became engaged to Prince Harry.
When Meghan joined Suits as Rachel Zane, she had zero royal connections. But by the time she exited the series in 2018, she was engaged to Harry and soon-to-be Duchess of Sussex. This shift in her life brought some unexpected challenges to the show’s creator, Aaron Korsh.
In an interview, Korsh admitted that Meghan’s relationship with Harry did affect the show’s scripts. “I mean, your initial reaction is, like, ‘We’re dating a prince!’” Korsh said, recalling the excitement. However, as the relationship became more public, the Suits team had to deal with some royal interference. Although the royals didn’t interfere with much, a few changes had to be made, and Korsh found it “a little irritating.”
One of the most significant changes came in the form of a word. In a scene where Rachel’s character was meant to say, “My family would say poppycock,” the Royal Family stepped in. They feared the clip might be edited to highlight the second half of the word. In response, they nixed it, pushing for a cleaner version. But it wasn’t all bad news—the creators swapped it out for “bulls**t,” a much more colorful choice.
Korsh explained that “poppycock” was a nod to his own family’s way of talking about sensitive issues, and it seemed harmless enough. However, once Meghan’s royal connection became public, it became clear that nothing would fly without royal approval. Despite the minor setback, Korsh acknowledged that the Meghan Markle effect was real – viewership for Suits spiked after the show hit Netflix. The buzz around her relationship probably played a part.
So, while the royals may have had some influence over what could and couldn’t be said on Suits, the show’s impact didn’t fade. With the changes in the script, Suits kept rolling and gained even more traction, thanks in part to the royal connection. But at least Korsh could joke about it, noting that “poppycock” was replaced with a word that would raise a few eyebrows.
