The Meghan Markle & Matt Lauer Rumors Just Won't Go Away
Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, and Matt Lauer, the former "TODAY Show" anchor accused of sexual misconduct by multiple colleagues, once shared a brief on-screen moment that's sparked persistent rumors of an affair. The then-actress — still running her lifestyle blog The Tig at the time — appeared on a 2016 cooking segment hosted by Lauer, demonstrating how to grill romaine lettuce for a handheld salad boat. Now, on its own, that's nothing to hold your attention for more than a few minutes. But now that Meghan is a magnet for rumors she can't escape from and Lauer is a name uttered only in hushed tones at NBC holiday parties, some unsavory corners of the internet remain absolutely convinced there's more to this story.
It turns out that we live in a world of fevered Meghan Markle criticism, where even a five-minute cooking demo from several years ago can suddenly find relevance — or, in certain corners of the internet, be construed as something altogether more sinister. The whispers connecting Meghan and Lauer have circulated on X and Reddit communities for years, with some users pointing to their on-screen interaction as supposed evidence of ... something. The tabloid "National Enquirer" poured gasoline on the fire in early 2018 with a cover story screaming "Meghan & Matt's Secret Dressing Room Hook-Up!"
Meghan Markle And Matt Lauer "Hook-Up" Cover Story Is NOT True https://t.co/Z0thagxPCv pic.twitter.com/RhLBnKagJz
— Suggest (@suggestonline) February 22, 2018
Why rumors of a relationship between Meghan and Lauer persist despite zero evidence
There is no credible evidence that there was ever anything between Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, and Matt Lauer other than that brief appearance on TV. The rumors exist purely in the realm of social media speculation — similar to the affair rumors between Meghan and her longtime friend Markus Anderson — fueled by what appears to be a particular animosity towards the duchess. But any rumor you may have seen on social media involving Meghan and Lauer crumbles into dust the moment you dig a little deeper.
As Meghan continues to navigate her post-royal career amid rumors and scandals, the Lauer whispers will likely resurface every time she so much as picks up a spatula. But that's just the price of fame in the internet age. A segment about grilled lettuce will never just be a segment about grilled lettuce. Not when you're Meghan Markle, anyway.