The Lawsuit Meghan Markle Will Never File: Tom Bower, Archie’s Paternity Rumors, and the Anatomy of Modern Celebrity Scandal

Special Report | International Desk

Introduction: The Rumor That Refuses to Die

In the age of social media, rumors don’t fade—they metastasize. The more sensitive the subject, the more relentless the speculation. And when royalty is involved, every whisper is amplified, every timeline dissected, every silence interpreted as either guilt or strategy.

For Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, the rumor mill has never stopped churning. But one controversy stands out: Tom Bower’s persistent hints that Archie, Meghan and Prince Harry’s firstborn, may not be Harry’s biological son. For years, Bower—a veteran British journalist and author—has dropped inferences about missing documents, strange timelines, and “evidence” that could, he claims, collapse the Sussex narrative.

Yet, curiously, Meghan Markle—whose legal team is famous for aggressive action against tabloids, paparazzi, and online commentators—has never sued Tom Bower. Not once. Why? What does Bower have against her, and why has Meghan, who has sued over much less, left these rumors unchallenged in court?

This is the story of the lawsuit Meghan Markle will never file—a tale of strategic silence, psychological warfare, and the high-stakes optics of modern celebrity.

Chapter 1: Meghan’s Legal Playbook—Offense, Not Defense

To seasoned observers of celebrity litigation, Meghan Markle’s legal strategy is unmistakably proactive. She doesn’t just defend her reputation; she uses the law as a weapon to shape the public narrative.

Consider the landmark case against The Mail on Sunday. The tabloid published a private letter Meghan wrote to her estranged father. Instead of quibbling over tone or fairness, her legal team went straight for privacy law—and won. The court ruled that the paper had no right to publish the letter, sending shockwaves through British media. The message was clear: cross Meghan Markle at your peril.

The pattern repeated. Paparazzi were pursued for photographing Archie from outside a property fence. Prince Harry launched lawsuits over articles about his UK security arrangements, claiming defamation. Legal threats flew at television hosts, online commentators, and even small social media accounts.

Behind it all is Schillings, a London law firm renowned for aggressive tactics. Their mere reputation makes publishers slow down, lawyer up, and sometimes kill stories before they run. For most media outlets, the threat of a Schillings lawsuit is enough to back off.

But when Tom Bower released his heavily sourced book, “Revenge,” in 2022—packed with claims that would normally trigger an immediate legal response—Meghan did nothing. No cease and desist. No filed defamation claim. No visible attempt to shut him down.

Why?

 

 

Chapter 2: Tom Bower’s Playbook—Hints, Patterns, and Psychological Pressure

Tom Bower is no ordinary tabloid hack. He’s a veteran investigative journalist, famous for biographies that blend on-the-record interviews with off-the-record whispers. His work is methodical, relentless, and calculated to provoke.

In “Revenge,” Bower laid out a pattern: interviews with more than 80 sources, many speaking on the record, describing behaviors they claim repeated across Meghan’s life. The consistency of these accounts—charm at first, rising expectations, eventual separation—gave the story its weight.

The most explosive section focused on Meghan’s 2017 trip to Colombia with World Vision, months before her relationship with Harry became public. Bower cited sources who described unexplained absences, private meetings not on the humanitarian schedule, and a now-infamous photograph of Meghan in a luxury hotel hallway with a man who was not Harry. Online sleuths matched the man’s bracelet to a Colombian businessman seen elsewhere in trip footage.

Bower also included an anecdote from Meghan’s first husband, Trevor Engelson—a confrontation over a man leaving her hotel room during a work trip. Meghan’s response, according to Engelson, was not denial but reframing: presenting the encounter as strategic and career-minded rather than personal.

For Bower, these moments crystallized a pattern: ambition justifying behavior others would question. By the time the book reached paternity speculation, it was framed not as gossip but as the logical endpoint of years of similar testimony.

And yet, despite the gravity of the claims, Meghan remained silent.

Chapter 3: The Anatomy of a Rumor—Timelines, Gaps, and Internet Sleuths

The internet runs on timelines and screenshots. When it comes to Archie’s birth, online researchers have spent years lining things up and asking why so many details felt off.

Archie was born on May 6, 2019. Counting back, a typical pregnancy points to conception in late July or early August 2018. During that stretch, Meghan and Harry were managing long-distance schedules. Public records place Meghan at events in the U.S., while Harry was busy with royal engagements in the UK. Skeptics noted that their movements didn’t obviously overlap for long stretches.

Attention then shifted to the pregnancy announcement—made during the Australia tour in October 2018. Meghan stated she was around 12 weeks at the time, which is plausible, but for observers already watching closely, it stood out.

The birth itself added fuel. Unlike previous royal births, details were slow to emerge. Confusion surrounded the hospital, doctors’ names weren’t released, and the tradition of a post-birth hospital photocall was skipped. When Meghan and Harry presented Archie two days later, Meghan appeared composed, styled, and walking in heels—fueling more speculation.

Weeks after the initial filing, Archie’s birth certificate was amended. Meghan’s first names were removed, and her occupation was altered. Officials described it as a clerical correction, but the change became a focal point for online speculation.

Photos and videos from the pregnancy were dissected frame by frame. Some medical professionals commenting online said the appearance of Meghan’s baby bump seemed inconsistent in size or position from one event to another. A clip from the Australia tour where her dress appeared to shift as she stood up became viral.

None of this proves anything. But secrecy—even when justified—creates space for speculation. Once questions take hold online, every missing detail is magnified.

Chapter 4: Trevor Engelson’s Bombshell—Strategic Relationships and Career Leverage

For more than four years after Meghan and Harry’s wedding, Trevor Engelson stayed silent. Tabloids offered him six-figure sums for his side of the story, but he refused.

When Tom Bower finally spoke to him for “Revenge,” Engelson’s account was calm, precise—the voice of someone who had been holding back. He described their early years in Hollywood as a partnership, both ambitious, both navigating the tough entertainment industry.

But over time, Engelson said, Meghan grew frustrated when his producing work didn’t advance fast enough to support her ambitions. Secrecy crept in. She started spending unexplained time in meetings or networking events that didn’t line up with auditions or official schedules.

A coldness appeared, seemingly overnight, once she booked “Suits.” The moment that grabbed attention came when Engelson recounted a confrontation during a work trip. He discovered a man leaving the hotel room Meghan had said she was alone in. Her response: no denial, no guilt, just immediate calculation and reframing. She presented the encounter as networking—a career opportunity.

Engelson told Bower that after moments like this, Meghan’s career began to shift dramatically. Better auditions, higher-profile meetings, doors that had been closed suddenly opened.

For people reading Bower’s book, it wasn’t just a scandal for the sake of gossip. It was a pattern—a narrative of ambition and strategy. If Meghan was already using personal relationships to get ahead in Hollywood, why wouldn’t people think she might do the same later?

Chapter 5: Harry Starts Asking Questions—Trust, Marriage, and the Weight of Speculation

Once the paternity questions about Archie gained traction online, sources say Prince Harry began showing cracks even his polished public image couldn’t hide. Friends noticed changes in his voice on phone calls—sometimes shaking with frustration, sometimes sharp and short over things that normally wouldn’t bother him.

His temper reportedly flared unpredictably. Despite claiming he’d stopped following online commentary, he was checking comment sections and reaction videos obsessively.

It wasn’t just Engelson’s testimony or the leaked hotel photograph that unsettled him. What really got under Harry’s skin was the timeline work done by amateur investigators online. People lined up travel records, event appearances, photographs, and public statements with the pregnancy announcement and Archie’s birth.

Any single irregularity could be chalked up to privacy, tradition-breaking, or control over the narrative. But when dozens of anomalies were stacked together, paired with reports of Meghan’s strategic use of relationships for career gain, the pattern looked deliberate.

Harry reportedly began asking questions he had never allowed himself to consider before. He wanted to know the exact dates which doctors were present for Archie’s birth and why they were never named. Why was the pregnancy and delivery so controlled compared to William and Kate’s children?

Friends say Meghan noticed the shift immediately. He stopped meeting her eyes during discussions about Archie. His questions became sharper, more direct, lingering over her silences in a way that made her visibly uncomfortable.

The breaking point came when Harry finally voiced what had been building for weeks: why the DNA test had never been done. Sources described the room going ice cold. Meghan didn’t cry. She didn’t have a public-style emotional moment. She froze, then turned the situation around with the same precision she had reportedly used in past confrontations.

The question became less about honesty or clarity, and more about accusation and control. She framed the situation as if Harry were siding with everyone against her—the palace, the media, online sleuths, and even Bower. She redirected the tension back at him, painting his concern as betrayal rather than legitimate inquiry.

Observers say this was consistent with how Meghan reportedly handled challenges throughout her life: calm, controlled, and always ready to turn scrutiny into defense.

For Harry, sources say it was exhausting and disorienting. He was confronting both the online speculation and private questions about trust and narrative, all while navigating a marriage already under strain and a public life that demanded perfection.

The combination of secrecy, the meticulously assembled internet timeline, and Meghan’s refusal to allow certain questions to be answered reportedly left him in a constant state of frustration.

Chapter 6: Tom Bower’s Withheld Evidence—Strategic Uncertainty and Legal Leverage

The most unsettling part of Tom Bower’s work on Meghan isn’t what he’s already published. It’s the material he keeps hinting at but hasn’t shared.

Since “Revenge” came out, Bower has given interviews where he signals that the book contains only material he could safely print without risking lawsuits or exposing sources who demanded anonymity. He’s talked about reviewing documents he hasn’t published, interviewing people off the record, and knowing insiders in Hollywood, royal circles, and Meghan’s personal life who could testify if a court-protected process allowed it.

During one television appearance, Bower explained that some stories don’t vanish when deleted—they vanish only when the truth is proven. He implied this story hasn’t been proven yet.

He’s referenced reviewing records from Hollywood to Colombia and claimed to have interviewed hundreds of additional sources beyond the 80 named in “Revenge.”

What’s striking is how specific Bower gets without crossing legal lines. In one interview, he mentioned flight manifests, hotel registries, and what he called contemporaneous communications from people present during key moments. He’s talked about photographs beyond the hallway image that allegedly show Meghan with the same individual at multiple locations across several months. He’s referenced medical professionals who expressed concerns privately about timeline inconsistencies but feared career destruction if they spoke publicly.

Bower has also hinted at financial records showing payments or arrangements that don’t match the public story. None of this has been published in full, but the specificity suggests he’s not bluffing.

When interviewers push for specifics, Bower usually smiles and says that legal proceedings might create a space where it’s safe to share more. He’s not outright accusing anyone of anything new that could be sued over. Instead, he’s sending a signal that he has information ready to release if the right conditions exist.

For Meghan, this creates a nearly impossible dilemma. If she sues for defamation, the discovery process could force Bower to reveal the documents, emails, or testimonies he’s holding privately. Those court records would make private claims public and permanent. On the other hand, if she doesn’t sue, Bower’s continued hints and implications slowly erode her reputation.

Millions of people interpret her silence as tacit acknowledgment, even if there’s nothing in public to prove the claims are true. Either path carries a serious cost.

Bower’s approach is strategically brilliant from a legal and psychological perspective. He doesn’t have to prove anything immediately. He only has to maintain uncertainty—by signaling that he has materials ready but unavailable, he forces Meghan into a position with no easy answers.

Any legal action could backfire by bringing sensitive evidence into public records, while inaction allows reputational damage to accumulate over time.

Chapter 7: The Law of Defamation—Why Opinions and Implications Are Hard to Sue

Defamation law is not a reality show reunion—it’s a highly technical process with unpredictable side effects.

In the United States and United Kingdom, claimants must show:

A defamatory statement of fact (not pure opinion)
Publication to third parties
Fault (negligence or actual malice for public figures in the U.S.)
Damages

If the contested content is framed as “questions,” “opinions,” or vague insinuations, it may be harder—though not impossible—to litigate.

Discovery can be intrusive. In jurisdictions where discovery is robust, litigants may seek communications, internal messages, records tied to timelines and public statements, third-party documents. Courts can limit fishing expeditions, especially when privacy interests are significant and minors are involved. Still, the process can be uncomfortable and strategically risky.

Truth is a defense—but “not proven” is not the same as “false.” Defamation cases don’t always yield the simple binary verdict the public expects. Outcomes can include dismissals on procedural grounds, jurisdictional issues, settlements with no admission, partial findings, or rulings focused on legal thresholds rather than moral clarity.

Chapter 8: Meghan’s Legal Wins—Why She’s Sued Others But Not Bower

Meghan Markle has scored legal wins before. In her long-running disputes with her half-sister, Samantha Markle, a Florida federal judge dismissed Samantha’s defamation lawsuit with prejudice, meaning she can’t bring the same claim again.

The case centered on a 2021 CBS interview Meghan did with Oprah Winfrey, in which she described herself as an only child and said she didn’t have a close relationship with Samantha. Samantha also claimed Meghan and Harry’s Netflix series contained defamatory statements about her.

The judge ruled that Samantha failed to provide evidence to back up her defamation claim. The statements cited in the complaint were opinions, not verifiable facts. Allegations that Meghan painted Samantha as a stranger, a liar, or a deceptive, fame-seeking impostor were considered subjective views, not legally actionable false statements.

This wasn’t Samantha’s first attempt to take Meghan to court. She had filed defamation claims twice before, and both cases were dismissed for similar reasons.

Other points in Samantha’s lawsuit included Meghan saying she grew up as an only child and references to Samantha changing her last name back to Markle, along with negative press coverage Samantha received after commenting on Meghan and Harry’s 2018 royal wedding. The court determined none of these statements could be objectively verified as false and were therefore protected as opinion.

For Meghan, it’s another confirmation that her public narrative and statements about her family, while controversial, remain legally defensible.

 

Chapter 9: The Psychology of Rumor—Why Silence Is Interpreted as Guilt

In public discourse, silence is frequently interpreted as guilt or fear. In law and crisis communications, silence can mean many other things, including:

Not feeding the story
Jurisdiction and venue complexity
Legal strategy happening privately
Emotional and reputational drain

Suing can spike attention. A court filing becomes a headline, and headlines become content. Even a strong case can inadvertently widen the audience for the original allegation.

Litigation is slow. It can become a multi-year spectacle. For families, especially those seeking privacy, a lawsuit can feel like turning a personal boundary into a public exhibit.

Chapter 10: The Child Factor—Ethics, Privacy, and Responsible Reporting

No matter how famous the parents are, rumors that drag a child into adult conflict create a moral and ethical hazard. Reputable journalistic standards typically treat children as off-limits for salacious speculation—especially claims that could follow them for life.

This is where public curiosity collides with basic fairness: even if adults choose public roles, children do not.

For that reason, many editors refuse to publish paternity speculation absent an extraordinary level of verified evidence—and even then, many would still decline, citing privacy and harm.

Chapter 11: The Endgame—Will Meghan Ever Sue Tom Bower?

The question isn’t whether Meghan will eventually sue Tom Bower. The question is whether the truth he’s implying will come out before or after their entire carefully constructed world collapses under the weight of speculation they refuse to definitively answer.

Is Meghan avoiding the lawsuit because she’s innocent, or because discovery would expose everything?

For now, the rumor persists, fueled by Bower’s strategic uncertainty and Meghan’s silence. In the absence of a lawsuit, the public is left to speculate.

Conclusion: The Lawsuit That May Never Come

In the modern age, lawsuits are often seen as the ultimate referee of truth. But in high-stakes reputation conflicts—especially those involving international jurisdictions, powerful media incentives, and the privacy rights of children—litigation is not a simple solve button.

What remains is a cloud of insinuation, a debate fueled by fragments, and a silence that is interpreted differently depending on which side you already believe.

The most important fact, amid the noise, is also the simplest: unverified claims are not proof—and when the internet demands a spectacle, the most responsible choice can be to refuse to provide one.