The Internet Resurrects Meghan Markle’s “Secret First Husband” Story

The internet has a strange talent: it never lets a rumor stay buried—especially when Meghan Markle is involved. Just when royal drama seemed to quiet down, an old ghost resurfaced. The persistent whisper that Meghan once had a secret first husband long before Trevor Engelson ever put a ring on her finger.

For nearly a decade, the name “Joe Giuliano”—sometimes listed as Joseph Goldberg Giuliano—has drifted through online forums. A Boston criminal defense attorney from a well-connected Italian-American family, allegedly linked to Meghan in her early 20s. According to the rumor that simply refuses to fade, they were briefly married, met with family disapproval, and quietly dissolved their union under NDAs and sealed files.

No evidence has ever confirmed this. No documents, no court records, no credible reporting.

And yet—the rumor lives. And recently, it came roaring back louder than ever.

The Real Timeline vs. The Internet’s Version

The documented history of Meghan’s relationships is simple:

Graduated Northwestern in 2003

Began dating Trevor Engelson around 2004–2005

Married Trevor in 2011

Divorced in 2013

All of this is public record.

When the British media ran extensive background checks during Meghan’s engagement to Prince Harry in 2017, nothing resembling a prior marriage emerged.

Still, the internet’s version lingers because it fits a narrative people like to believe:
the ambitious actress leaving behind a trail of unhappy families and severed ties.

Her father, her half-siblings, Trevor’s friends, and even the royal family have all publicly expressed reservations about her at various points. In that context, adding a supposedly disapproving Giuliano family fits neatly into the mythology.

But again—no proof.

The Most Explosive Branch of the Rumor: The Alleged Secret Child

Every few years, a claim resurfaces online that Meghan and Joe had a daughter in the early 2000s—a young woman who would be about 21 today. A grainy photo circulates, people insist the girl looks like a young Meghan, and then the accounts posting it mysteriously disappear.

No journalist, investigator, or court record has ever validated such a claim.

But the internet doesn’t need evidence. It only needs oxygen.

Why the Rumor Exploded Again This Year

According to online communities, the story gained new life when long-time followers insisted that this time, Joe was finally ready to speak. Others immediately dismissed this as recycled drama timed conveniently with Meghan’s dipping approval numbers.

Still, the online storm grew.

The rumor collided with an already fragile moment for Meghan:

Canceled PR appearances

American Riviera Orchard losing momentum

A sudden silence from celebrity acquaintances

The now-infamous Kris Jenner birthday party consent-form fiasco

In that atmosphere, even baseless speculation hit harder.

The Alleged Outreach to Joe

Some online “insiders” claim Meghan tried reaching out privately to Joe—an attempt to smooth over or silence the chatter. Others say Joe ignored the outreach entirely.

No credible source has confirmed this.
But in the rumor ecosystem, silence becomes its own kind of fuel.

What Makes This Rumor So Persistent

Joe Giuliano himself has never spoken publicly about Meghan. Not once.

As a working attorney, he would have every reason to avoid tabloid chaos. He’s reportedly turned down interview offers and never attempted to cash in on the gossip.

Ironically, that silence is exactly what keeps the rumor alive.

With no confirmation and no denial, people fill the vacuum with whatever storyline suits their preferred version of Meghan:

The scheming social climber

The misunderstood woman bullied by the press

A victim of powerful families

A mastermind crafting her image

The rumor survives because it feeds every narrative at once.

The Present Day Reality

As of late 2025:

Meghan and Harry still live in Montecito.

They are still parenting Archie and Lilibet.

Their business ventures rise and fall.

British tabloids still treat their every move as breaking news.

And every few months, an old rumor is excavated and given a fresh viral spin.

The “Joe chapter” is only the latest.

So—Did It Happen?

Here’s the grounded truth:

There is no legal record,
no documented marriage,
no confirmed child,
no credible witness,
and no statement from Joe himself.

Could there have been:

An intense early relationship?

A painful breakup?

A pregnancy scare?

A family disagreement?

Possibly. That’s true of millions of young couples in their early 20s.

But a secret marriage?
A hidden child?
A massive cover-up?

There is zero verifiable evidence.

The Real Story Isn’t About Joe—It’s About Us

This rumor endures not because it’s true, but because it’s useful. It feeds the internet’s endless appetite for royal drama and reinforces preexisting opinions—positive or negative—about Meghan Markle.

Until someone presents a real document, a credible witness, or Joe himself decides to speak, the whole saga remains exactly what it has always been:

One of the internet’s favorite “what-if” legends about a woman who went from Northwestern grad to Duchess in 15 volatile years—entertaining, persistent, and impossible to prove.