'It's Not His Baby': Meghan Markle Stops Speculation Before It Starts With Cheeky Nod To Rumor Mill
Uneasy may be the head that wears the crown, but life isn't exactly easy for a royal in-law — particularly one said to have fallen out of favor with The Firm. Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, has been the target of numerous mean-spirited allegations virtually from the moment she met Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex. One of the wildest rumors about Meghan is that she used a surrogate to carry her children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet of Sussex (as their official titles are known), supposedly out of Hollywood vanity. Knowing how quickly the rumor mill can crank up, Meghan made a preemptive move when sharing a recent photo.
Her Instagram Stories from June 12, 2026, showed her cuddling an adorable baby with suspiciously ginger-colored hair. She added a joking caption (via People): "We know I love a redhead. And let me stop you before it starts, no, it's not his baby." For emphasis, Meghan added a laugh-crying emoji. The duchess has learned from hard experience how even the seemingly most innocent photos and remarks can be twisted against her. If she hadn't added the explanation, you can be sure the tabloids would have exploded the next day with headlines like "MEGHAN'S SECRET BABY" and "SUSSEXES EXPAND BROOD TO SAVE STRUGGLING MARRIAGE."
The truth of the photo is much sweeter than any bit of gossip. The duchess was holding Jack Oliver Zajfen, the nearly 1-year-old son of her good friend Kelly McGee Zajfen and her husband Julian. McKee Zajfen, creator of the Alliance of Moms organization, lost another son, George, to sudden illness in 2022 at age nine. (George's twin sister, Lily, is now a teen.) She credits Meghan with helping support her through the unrelenting grief.
The Sussexes aren't suffering from baby fever
Naturally, the baby snuggle photo has raised the question of whether the Sussexes might be expanding their family anytime soon. While the two are both in their 40s, it's not — pardon the expression — inconceivable. They're used to juggling childrearing with busy schedules; Meghan didn't slow down during her second pregnancy with Princess Lilibet, so there's every reason to expect she would maintain her pace with a third. (You can just imagine her expanding the As Ever line to include artisan baby food.)
Don't start placing those Kalshi bets, though. Prince Harry himself addressed the issue in 2025, during an interview with the CTV special "Prince Harry and the Canadian Heroes" (via The Mirror). Asked about family size, he admitted, "I think one or two kids is probably enough... I definitely think that." The duke went on to take a bit of a dig at people with large families: "I know some people who've got five. I just say, 'Well, that's your own fault!'" (One wonders whether he was including big brother and dad-of-three William, Prince of Wales, in that category.)
Meghan's stance on the subject is less definite. One insider told Radar in 2025, "Meghan's been very clear that she's done having kids." Then, just months later, the same outlet quoted another source who insisted the duchess was looking to duck out of her business ventures: "She knows it's all been failing, and becoming a mom for the third time would give her the perfect excuse to put a cork in it all." Is it any wonder Meghan has to post a community note every time she's seen looking at a baby?