Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, is once again at the center of controversy, this time over claims about her "real age" that have sparked heated debate online and in media circles.
The latest controversy was ignited by Megyn Kelly, the well-known journalist and media personality, who aired allegations questioning the accuracy of Meghan's publicly stated birth year. According to these claims, Meghan is older than she has consistently represented, leading to a storm of reactions and intense scrutiny.
Officially, Meghan Markle has documented her birth date as August 4, 1981, making her 44 years old in 2025. This date is supported by official records, including the California Birth Index and UK company filings during the time she and Prince Harry ran Sussex Royal. However, conspiracy theories fueled by videos, rumors, and social media chatter have suggested otherwise — alleging Meghan might have been born several years earlier, with some theories claiming as far back as the late 1970s.
Megyn Kelly’s role in bringing this issue to the forefront involved referencing a controversial YouTube video that claimed Meghan's sister, Samantha Markle, exposed court documents pointing to a birth year of 1977. Kelly highlighted these discrepancies during her coverage, suggesting the public had been misled about Meghan’s age. The video and claims allege that Meghan’s timeline does not match the ages of her family members, citing confusing references made by Meghan in court filings and private emails as "evidence" of an age discrepancy.
Critics of Meghan argue that inflating or disguising one's age is a common tactic in Hollywood and public life, often done to preserve youthful appeal or to align better with partners’ ages — in Meghan’s case, Prince Harry being younger. This narrative has been amplified by skeptics who question many aspects of her life story, fueling a harsh backlash that they say "destroys" her carefully curated public image.
However, fact-checking sources and investigative reports have pushed back against the age controversy. Renowned outlets have verified that Meghan’s birth date matches multiple official documents, and even Samantha Markle’s book and legal actions have not contested Meghan’s birth year officially. Confusions in timelines referenced in emails to palace officials appear to stem from mixed-up data on family members’ ages rather than intentional deception by Meghan.