Affair Rumors That Have Plagued Meghan Markle

Meghan Markle's love life has dominated headlines for years. The former Hollywood actor found the blinding spotlight after whispers of her relationship with Britain's Prince Harry were confirmed in 2016 — and the light hasn't dimmed. Meghan has been at the center of royal drama, family feuds, and a slew of unfounded, albeit inescapable, rumors. Certain corners of the internet thrive on speculative discussions about Meghan's life, including possible hook-ups and extramarital affairs.

The Duchess of Sussex has addressed the chatter about her love life, specifically shutting down rumors that she and Harry are privately dealing with marital problems by referring to the status of her marriage in 2025 as being in a "honeymoon period." However, speculation about her relationship with other men, many of which have transformed into whispers about their illicit nature, persist. From rumors about her overly warm presence around one of Harry's best friends, Nacho Figueras, to wild claims that she was fooling around with former NBC journalist Matt Lauer, Meghan can't escape the wagging tongues.

The relationship between the Sussexes and Nacho Figueras' family is one founded on an incredible bond. Prince Harry and the Argentinian polo star's shared love of the sport is how they connected in 2007. He was one of the first people the ex-royal told about his budding romance with Meghan Markle; and now, Markle and Figueras' wife, Delfina Blaquier, are even close friends. However, the quad's intimate friendship has brought with it a great deal of speculation over how close they really are. 

Despite how strong Figueras and Blaquier's relationship may seem, internet sleuths have read into the body language between the athlete and Meghan, suggesting they are more than just friends. While filming a segment for Harry and Meghan's 2024 Netflix docuseries, "Polo," paparazzi snapped a few shots of the friends embracing. Some users on X (formerly Twitter) claimed that Meghan and Figueras' hug was too intimate. "Have you EVER seen Meghan Markle embrace Prince Harry the way she embraces Nacho Figueras?" wrote one user next to the photos, adding, "Nothing like pressing your boney pelvis against another man."

Of course, that's hardly evidence to prove an illicit relationship. According to a body language expert who spoke to the Daily Mail, Meghan's physicality with the couple suggests a "slow-built" friendship. It was actually long believed that Figueras wasn't fond of his best friend's girl, especially after leaving her out of an Instagram post at a polo match she attended with Harry. But, at the time of writing, they all seem on good terms.

Before Prince Harry, there was Markus Anderson – Soho House Group exec and longtime confidant of Meghan Markle. Anderson's everlasting presence in her life has sparked unfounded speculation that the pair are more than friends. There are even several cozy pics of Meghan and Anderson that don't help stave off those pesky rumors. Meghan has been on Anderson's arm at several red carpet outings, sat with him at sporting events, and has even vacationed with him. The rampant affair rumors between them went from bad to worse during Paris Fashion Week in 2025, when Meghan was seen galavanting around the French capital with her friend. 

"Have we ever seen Meghan look at Harry the way she looks at Markus?" asked one X user. Another, who was also convinced that Meghan and Anderson were an item, argued that she'd be better off with him, rather than Harry. "Was looking at this pic of Meghan Markle & Markus Anderson ... & still wondering why she didn't end up with him," they wrote.

In reality, Meghan and Anderson are simply close friends. In fact, Anderson was reportedly the one who introduced Meghan and Harry – so maybe we can thank him for all the royal family drama in the last decade.

Meghan Markle can't escape other people's dirty laundry, either. After news of her former friend Jessica Mulroney's split from her husband, Ben Mulroney, broke in July 2025, chatter about Meghan's relationship with the son of Canada's former prime minister started. The truth about Meghan and Jessica's friendship is that it was already in the toilet, but internet users with a thirst for drama are secretly hoping this ignites another feud between the pair. In December 2025, author and media personality Lady Colin Campbell — also known as "Lady C" — posted a YouTube video reporting gossip that Meghan and Ben had "penetrating conversations" while he was still with Jessica. 

While there isn't any other evidence to support the claim, as of this writing, many folks said they wouldn't be surprised if the rumor had some truth to it. "We all knew it was coming," an X user asserted, adding, "How could M just cut off such a 'dear friend' with no second thought? This was the reason I am assuming." Another on the platform wrote of Jessica: "I would read her tell all." However, Meghan's name has been at the center of several headlines about Jessica and Ben's failed relationship, so it could be another instance of the duchess being involuntarily dragged into the drama.  

Based on the ever-churning and remarkably creative rumor mill, Meghan Markle has practically had an affair with every guy she has ever come in contact with — we're just waiting to hear about a speculated romance with King Charles III. Alas, whispers about someone that powerful haven't come to fruition. However, Meghan's rumored relationship with Matt Lauer takes the cake. A roughly five-minute cooking segment on the "Today" show in 2016 was enough to spark some piping hot goss about the then-actor and the disgraced NBC News anchor.

A 2018 headline from the National Enquirer suggested that Meghan and Lauer – who was fired from the network in 2017 after allegations of sexual misconduct against him surfaced — enjoyed a "dressing room hook-up" behind the scenes of her "Today" appearance (via X). The tabloid, according to New Idea, reportedly spoke to a network insider, who claimed that the "Suits" star was caught sneaking into Lauer's dressing room on multiple occasions, and the pair were shamelessly flirting. The Enquirer was the only publication to report the sensational claims at the time; thus, it has taken root solely in the realm of Meghan Markle's social media criticism.

Being in the public eye means Meghan Markle deals with the threat of being analyzed for everything she does. For example, her American personality was apparently the catalyst for romance rumors between her and her brother-in-law. Perhaps, growing up in sunny California led to Meghan's warm nature, which she presented upon her initial meeting with the royal family. William, Prince of Wales, was seemingly not so fond of her influx of tactile greetings, often making him more reserved and uncomfortable, per The Sunday Times. Her hugs and kisses reportedly sparked a rumor among palace staffers that she was getting too flirty with William, which supposedly created tension between him and Harry.

As much as the royal family found Meghan's touchy-feely behavior odd, the As Ever founder felt completely out of place around her in-laws. "It is still very strange for her that nobody hug[s] and everyone is so tense, especially Kate," someone from Meghan's inner circle told the Daily Express in 2020 (via L'Officiel). No wonder she left Buckingham Palace behind.