While the royal family has always been mired in conspiracy theories, this one is incredibly niche. That didn’t stop the internet from enthusiastically picking up on it. It alleges Meghan Markle’s half-sister revealed she is four years older than she says she is. In 2023 Newsweek looked into possibly one of the most petty royal conspiracies to date and found that not only did Meghan Makle’s California Birth Index records and official documents lodged with Companies House in the UK match Markle’s given date of birth, but the claim could not be found in her sisters autobiography.
This hasn’t stopped the internet from taking Meghan Markle, who is 44 (the age estimated when the YouTube video was published), with aplomb. The video has 84,000 views and 459 comments from people who seem incredibly vindicated to have caught Markle in a lie, and Quora forums and bizarre TikToks have sprung up dedicated to the topic.
While the appeal of this royal conspiracy presumably lies in the notion that Meghan Markle, who is older than Prince Harry, could be even older (quelle horreur), this is not the only rumour to have dogged the royal family.
5 Weird Royal Conspiracy Theories:
Since the Tudor era when dead kings were concealed for days (and sometimes weeks) while courtiers figured out succession plans, royalty has been shrouded in secrecy. Naturally, in the absence of fact wild speculation flourishes and conspiracies have become something of a sport for royalists. Some are tragic, some are horrifying and grounded in facts and some are downright bizarre.
We’ll be focusing on the latter as we explore the weirdest royal conspiracy theories to date.
1. The Royals Are Lizards
In some corners of the world, it is believed that the royals, particularly Queen Elizabeth II, are shape-shifting reptilians! The rumour was popularised by conspiracy theorists and the owner of an unfortunate last name, David Icke. He claimed the royals are part of the “Annunaki” lizard people who control world events.
To be fair to the royals, Icke generally believed that lizards (dressed as people) controlled the world. Their objective was “centralized global control—of all resources, of all businesses, of all everything,” he said in a 2016 conversation with Newshub.
While it’s a left-of-field idea, The Guardian reported that same year that, “around 12 million people in the US believe that interstellar lizards in people suits rule our country.” Comforting.
2. Harry And Meghan’s Wedding Was Part of A Plot By Britain To Gain Control Over America
While Harry and Meghan’s wedding, if anything, caused tension in the royal family, some royal conspiracy theorists believe Harry married Meghan so Britain could gain control over America. Editor Greg Pollowitz started this rumour in 2017 when he Tweeted: “Prince Harry’s kids will be Americans. What if one grows up to be president and is in line for the throne at the same time? Brits are playing long ball here, but it’s a smart move. They want America back, and this is how they’ll do it.” Fair enough.
3. King Charles III Is A Vampire
According to CBS News, Prince Charles, an enthusiastic conservationist, made the mistake of mentioning his origins, which he traced back to Vlad the Impaler, believed by some to be the source of “Vampire” mythology while visiting Transylvania. He moved on, enthusing about Transylvania’s stunning landscapes and centuries-old farming traditions. The internet did not, and the vampire rumour stuck.
4. Meghan Markle Is A Secret Agent
Meghan Markle is arguably one of the most gossipped women in the world, and royal conspiracy theorists are no different. In 2018, actor Paul Bettany made a joke on The Tonight Show, speculating that Meghan Markle was a secret agent. “I think that Meghan Markle might be a sleeper agent for the U.S government,” he said. The proof was “The dad doing the photos thing, it’s like a false flag event. I think the CIA is involved. I think Piers Morgans is involved.” While Bettany was presumably joking (he’s yet to be sued for defamation), conspiracy theorists took to the idea – there’s even a book on Amazon about it.
5. Prince William Is Into Pegging
Less of a conspiracy theory and more of a viral rumour, in 2022, claims Prince William’s proclivity for pegging was the reason behind his rumoured affair with Rose Hanbury were reported everywhere from Rolling Stone to The Cut. The pegging rumour was based on a tip from celebrity rumour mill Instagram account DeuxMoi, which sent the #princofpegging hashtag viral on Twitter. The rumour had, to some, a sex-positive result. Searches for “pegging” went up 400%, with Rolling Stone speculating “, A Royal Rumor Might Be Inspiring Straight Men To Get Pegged, and That’s Beautiful.” Well done, William.
This article originally appeared on Marie Claire Australia and is republished here with permission.
