EXCLUSIVE: Meghan Markle 'Haunted by Royal Family's Insistence Her First Child Underwent Disability Scan Before Birth'
Meghan Markle 'was haunted by the royals insisted on a disability scan before birth,' according to sources.
Oct. 17 2025, Published 7:28 p.m. ET
Meghan Markle is "haunted by being forced to test her unborn baby for disabilities on orders from the Queen" – due to the royal family's shocking hidden history of children with abnormalities.
RadarOnline.com can reveal the Duchess of Sussex, now 44, had to endure testing for chromosomal abnormalities before announcing she was pregnant with her first child Archie.
It is now regulation for pregnant royals to have children tested for abnormalities due to the royal family's little-known history of having disabled children.
Royal Rule Rooted in Tragic Family History
Meghan Markle was forced to take a royal pregnancy test.
The royals' disabled kids include the Queen's two female cousins who were hidden away in a hospital for their entire lives for having learning disabilities.
A source claimed: "All women in the royal household must submit to this test now.
"Many of the royal houses of Europe are very closely related so the gene pool can be quite shallow, which can increase the chances of abnormal children being produced. Even though Meghan was a non-royal, that didn't change the fact she had to get tested."
Meghan's Secret Ordeal Before Archie's Birth
The Queen allegedly ordered testing for Archie’s birth.
The source continued to claim: "Meghan wasn't happy with having to submit to it, but it was non-negotiable like most traditions in the royal family.
"She hasn't talked about it yet – but she will, as it haunts her so badly.
"She's keeping this one up her sleeve – maybe for her memoir!"
Prince John, the little-known fifth and youngest child of George V and Queen Mary, suffered epilepsy and learning difficulties – and was locked away from public view in a remote cottage on the Sandringham estate in Norfolk, England.
Hidden Royals Locked Away for Decades
John was sent to live in a remote cottage on Sandringham Estate.
Isolated and neglected by his family, he was cared for his devoted nanny Lalla. He was just 13 years of age when he died in 1919.
And Katharine Bowes-Lyon, the niece of the late Queen Mother, and her elder sister Nerissa, both had learning disabilities.
They were born in an era when families treated the disabled with shame, and when young unmarried women who got pregnant were locked in asylums or hospitals.
The sisters – cousins of Queen Elizabeth – were hidden away from society for most of their lives.
They were not allowed in public despite the Queen Mother being patron of UK learning disability charity Mencap.
The Queen's Hidden Cousins Exposed
Never Miss an
Daily updates from the heart of Hollywood, right to your inbox
By entering your email and clicking Sign Up, you’re agreeing to let us send you customized marketing messages about us and our advertising partners. You are also agreeing to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
Queen Elizabeth’s cousins were locked away for decades.
A 1963 edition of Burke's Peerage – the guidebook to aristocratic families and their lineage – falsely recorded the sisters as having died in 1940 and 1961. But Nerissa actually died in 1986 aged 66 and Katharine passed away aged 87 in 2014.
They spent much of their lives in the Royal Earlswood Hospital in Surrey. Friends said they were well aware of their royal connections and would often curtsey when the Queen was on television.
The day Princess Diana got married, they watched on TV and stroked the screen.
Their accommodation was revealed to the world in 2012, when UK TV broadcaster Channel 4 showed a controversial documentary titled The Queen's Hidden Cousins.
It suggested the royal family had behaved uncaringly towards the sisters – with the monarch said to be "hurt" by the show.
A British reporter once tried to get into the hospital to speak to Katharine Bowes-Lyon, while carrying a birthday bouquet of flowers for her.
There was also outrage around three decades ago when an American TV film company went to the Royal Earlswood Hospital and secretly filmed Katharine inside – with interviewer Geraldo Rivera rigging up a camera in a shoulder bag to film the hidden royal.
