Is Meghan Markle a Descendant of Jack the Ripper Suspect H. H. Holmes?

LONDON, ENGLAND — A new TV documentary proposes that royal bride Meghan Markle is a descendant of H. H. Holmes, the sick and sadistic slayer popularly referred to as “America’s first serial killer.”

In keeping with U.S.-born Meghan’s recent relocation, the claim also has a British component, as Holmes is also suspected to have been London’s infamous Jack the Ripper!

The Channel Four special Meet the Markles showcases an interview with Jeff Mudgett, a U.S. lawyer who discovered he is the great-great grandson of H. H. Holmes.

Mudgett has investigated and written about Holmes extensively. In a popular TED Talk, he also shares what many observers believe is a solid theory that Holmes traveled to England and committed the Whitechapel slaughters attributed to Jack the Ripper.

More recently, Mudgett connected his lineage to Meghan Markle, who he says is a distant cousin. If Mudgett’s theory proves true, that would mean that Megan Markle might share a bloodline with England’s most notorious serial killer!

In Meet the Markles, Jeff Mudgett talks about their shared connection to Holmes and, potentially, Saucy Jack. He says:

“We did a study with the FBI and CIA and Scotland Yard regarding handwriting analysis. It turns out [H. H. Holmes] was Jack the Ripper. This means Meghan is related to Jack the Ripper. I don’t think the Queen knows. I am not proud he is my ancestor. Meghan won’t be either.”

It’s important to note, however, that Mudgett has taken to social media to clarify his position. He posted a statement on Facebook in which he said he spoke with a “tongue-in-cheek, SNL-like” spirit, that he hugely respects the Duchess and Prince Harry, and that the network strategically “cut and edited” his words.

Amid U.K. tabloid hubbub over Meghan’s potential Ripper relation, a spokesperson for Channel Four backed up Mudgett’s claims at least in part and stated: “The show is humorous and warm in tone.”

Related: The Murder Castle: Inside The Hotel Of Horrors Built By H. H. Holmes

H. H. Holmes was executed for one murder, but confessed to 27. Operating between 1891 and 1894, many analysts believe Holmes’ real victim tally is over 200.

Holmes infamously lured targets into his Chicago-area “Murder Castle,” where he subjected them to fates straight out of the most gruesome horror movies. Holmes is one of the subjects of the popular best-seller The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson.

Jack the Ripper is the nickname given to a still (officially) unidentified serial killer who stalked the streets of London’s Whitechapel district in 1888. He cut the throats and mutilated the bodies of at least five street-walking prostitutes before passing into the annals of legendary crime figures.

Theories as to who might have been Jack the Ripper have captivated the public ever since the murders were committed. The possibility that he was H. H. Holmes is just the latest compelling example.

For more on H. H. Holmes, watch Investigation Discovery’s The Murder Castle on ID GO now!

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Read more: Daily Mail, The Sun, Irish Times, Meet the Markles, “Bloodstains” by Jeff Mudgett