The Persistent Internet Conspiracy Theories Surrounding Meghan Markle's Pregnancies
A persistent online conspiracy theory claims Duchess Meghan used a surrogate for Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. Despite internet rumors and altered timelines, official birth records confirm her as the mother.
One of the most persistent conspiracy theories surrounding Prince Harry and Meghan Markle continues to circulate online: the claim that the Duchess of Sussex did not actually carry their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, and that the couple secretly used a surrogate. Over recent years, internet sleuths have repeatedly analyzed photos of Meghan's baby bump, birth certificates, and timelines, and even spread a fake screenshot of a message allegedly showing Kensington Palace admitting to surrogacy.
The rumors began during Meghan's pregnancy with Archie in 2018–2019, when social media users analyzed videos and photos, claiming her bump appeared to change size artificially—a claim dubbed the "Moonbump" theory. The storm intensified when estranged family members, led by her half-sister Samantha Markle and father Thomas, publicly raised doubts about the birth circumstances, joined by prominent royal commentators demanding clarification.
The matter transcended mere gossip due to historical rules governing the British crown. Meghan's critics argued that using a surrogate could theoretically affect the children's place in the line of succession, citing the traditional requirement that royal heirs be born of the body. However, claims of pressure on Buckingham Palace regarding the issue relied mostly on anonymous sources, and no official statement has ever been issued by the palace indicating an investigation or intent to remove the children from the line of succession.
Over the years, conspiracy theorists have clung to various details—ranging from tight timelines surrounding Archie's birth at the Portland Hospital, to technical changes made to birth certificates, to a fake screenshot of a palace tweet. Conversely, an old video published by Meghan in 2025 showing her dancing with a large baby bump at the hospital prior to Lilibet's birth was interpreted by many as authentic documentation, though skeptics continued to analyze that as well.
As is known, Archie was born in May 2019 and Lilibet was born in June 2021, and their official birth certificates identify Meghan as their mother. Despite the couple not publishing private medical records—something not required of private individuals—there is no solid or substantiated evidence indicating the use of a surrogate, leaving the claims as unverified internet theories.
