The Vicious Campaign Against Meghan Markle Must End

Newsweek

4 hours ago

When Meghan Markle posted a lighthearted video of herself dancing in a hospital room while nine months pregnant, she probably thought she was sharing a relatable moment that other mothers would appreciate. Instead, within hours, online trolls and conspiracy theorists weaponized it as "proof" she was never pregnant at all.
This nightmare is what Meghan's life has become. Every joyful moment gets twisted into ammunition by people who've made destroying her their full-time job. And we need to talk about what this sustained cruelty has done to a woman whose only crime was falling in love with a prince.
Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, speaks onstage during the 2025 TIME100 Summit at Jazz at Lincoln Center on April 23, 2025, in New York City.
Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, speaks onstage during the 2025 TIME100 Summit at Jazz at Lincoln Center on April 23, 2025, in New York City.for TIME
The "moonbump" conspiracy, which claims Meghan faked both pregnancies with prosthetic bellies, represents a special kind of cruelty. Here's a woman who bravely shared her miscarriage story to help other women feel less alone in their grief. She opened up about one of the most painful experiences a person can endure, and how do these conspiracy theorists respond? By claiming her subsequent pregnancies were elaborate hoaxes. Imagine being nine months pregnant, your body aching, preparing to bring life into the world, and thousands of strangers are dissecting your every photo to "prove" your baby isn't real.
Meghan revealed she was "the most trolled person in the entire world" in 2019 while pregnant with Archie. She's spoken about how the harassment drove her to thoughts of suicide. A pregnant woman was pushed to the edge of despair by people who found entertainment in her anguish.
The recent dance video illuminates this persecution perfectly. Here's Meghan, trying to induce labor, sharing a funny, intimate moment millions of mothers can relate to. Within hours, it became Exhibit A in the conspiracy theorists' case against her. They zoomed in on her moving belly, claiming it proves she wore a prosthetic. They analyzed her IV line, suddenly becoming medical experts. They took a moment of joy and transformed it into a weapon.
This isn't normal criticism. It's psychological torture designed to break someone's spirit. And the worst part? These aren't random acts of cruelty. They're coordinated, monetized, and amplified by people who profit from Meghan's pain. YouTube channels devoted entirely to "proving" Meghan's pregnancies were fake, generating millions of dollars. British tabloids have built entire business models around tearing Meghan apart, knowing that her name on a negative headline guarantees clicks and sales. Social media influencers discovered that attacking Meghan drives more engagement than any other content they produce. Hatred hasn't just become a business model; it's become an entire industry, with Meghan's suffering as its most profitable product.
The online vitriol has translated into terrifying real world threats. Britain's former counterterrorism chief disclosed that Meghan faced "disgusting and very real" threats from far-right extremists during her time in the U.K. Security teams investigated numerous credible plots against her life. People have been prosecuted for threatening to kill her. While navigating motherhood as a new parent, Meghan simultaneously confronted vicious online conspiracy theories and lived under the shadow of genuine terrorist threats.
Meghan once said the abuse was "almost unsurvivable." Think about that word: "almost." She survived, but barely. She got through it with therapy, with Harry's support, with sheer determination, but she shouldn't have had to survive anything. She should have been able to enjoy her pregnancies like any other woman.
But the attacks don't stop with Meghan. Anyone who dares to publicly defend her becomes a target themselves. The message is clear: support Meghan Markle, and we'll come for you, too. The goal isn't just to hurt Meghan; it's to isolate her completely. They want her to look around and see no allies, no defenders, no one willing to brave the storm to stand with her.
The social media platforms that host this hate bear responsibility. The tabloids that report on these conspiracies "for clicks" bear responsibility. But most of all, we as a society bear responsibility for allowing this cruelty to continue.
Meghan Markle is a real person with real feelings who carried and delivered two real children. She's a mother who can't share her joy without it being weaponized against her. The moonbump conspiracy isn't just false. It's an act of sustained cruelty against someone who dared to join the royal family while being Black, American, and unwilling to suffer in silence.
Somewhere tonight, Meghan might be looking at her children, the very children strangers claim don't exist, and wondering if she'll ever be free to share their milestones without unleashing a torrent of hate. These conspiracy theorists have participated in the theft of a mother's joy.
If they can't find the conscience to stop this now, then we need to face the ugly truth about who we've become as a society. Because when a pregnant woman is tormented to the point of suicidal thoughts, when her pain becomes someone's profit and entertainment, a fundamental piece of our humanity has been lost, and that loss diminishes us all.
If you or someone you know is considering suicide, contact the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988, text "988" to the Crisis Text Line at 741741 or go to 988lifeline.org.
Christopher Bouzy is an American tech entrepreneur who founded the non-partisan research firm Bot Sentinel and the social media network Spoutible. His ventures leverage innovative technologies to create safer digital spaces and promote authentic online discourse.
The views expressed in this article are the writer's own.