'Suits' Patrick J. Adams Apologizes For Posting Meghan Markle Pics Amid Strike

"Suits" star Patrick J. Adams is sayin' sorry for sharing BTS photos of his former costar Meghan Markle ... after catching heat for posting them during the ongoing actors' strike.

Patrick did the ol' delete and apologize 2-step Wednesday after he'd posted some never-before-seen snaps of Meghan and other cast members, clearly taken when she was still on the show, and the USA Network show was still in production.

He's now scrubbed the pics and told his followers he "foolishly and thoughtlessly let a trip down Suits memory lane distract me from the very real and ongoing fight" that SAG-AFTRA is still facing.

Patrick called the past photos of Meghan "an embarrassing oversight," adding he's "incredibly sorry."

The throwback photos of Meghan come off as a bit flirty -- one shows her lying down on a couch while dressed in a pencil skirt ... something her character, Rachel, often wore.

Don't forget, Patrick and Meghan played lovers on the 9-season series, so ya could chalk it up to just being in character. Also, it's not like he just posted pics of MM -- he showed photos of costars like Daniel Costabile, Vanessa Ray, and Trevor Lipinski, too.

As you know, SAG-AFTRA actors are forbidden from promoting, talking about, and yes, posting about projects made under the union's TV and film contracts -- which goes for things made in the past as well.