The weekly rags pride themselves on a really captivating cover, especially when it comes to covering the royals.
If you use a gold sticker stating that either the Duchess of Cambridge or the palace confirms something, then it has to be real, right?
Don’t forget Photoshopping crowns on to William and Catherine to prepare the world for their ascension to the throne. And imagine what the $100 million coronation will be like!
In Touch – May 2011 (Getty) William and Catherine hadn’t been married for 4 minutes before In Touch claimed she was battling fertility issues. Classy.
Life & Style – July 2012 (Getty) Around this time, Buckingham Palace gave a refresher course on protocol and rank within the royal family. Tabloids took this to mean that the Queen was getting revenge on Catherine for being popular. Her punishment required her to curtsy to Prince William’s cousins, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie of York. HOWEVER, she only has to curtsy to the York girls if Prince William is not with her, because William outranks his cousins.
Star – September 2012 (Getty) Oooh, Star was so close to finally hitting its target. Prince George was presumably conceived in November of 2012, just two months after Star’s claims.
Life & Style – December 2012 (Getty) Yes, William and Catherine announced that she was pregnant around this time, but Catherine was only carrying Prince George. Just one prince. Single rider.
Star – December 2013 (Getty) News is slow, everyone loves a holiday pregnancy announcement. And yet…no baby.
Globe – March 2014 (Getty) Her Majesty was not “dying” at the time. In fact, she went on to break Queen Victoria’s record for longest reigning British monarch in history in September 2015.
Life & Style – July 2014 (Getty) She’s had it up to here with the bullying! In reality, the Duchess is believed to have a warm relationship with the Queen. Any suggestions having to do with wardrobe (not parenting) are gently offered.
OK! – September 2015 Well, if it has a gold sticker, then it must be true. It’s important to point out that while the Queen may scale back her engagements as she gets older, there is no way she will abdicate the thrown. There’s also no way she would leap frog Prince Charles (the longest-serving heir to the throne in British history) in favor of his son.
OK! – November 2015 This was six months after Catherine gave birth to Princess Charlotte. Here we are, nearly a year later and no twins.
Life & Style – November 2015 Not to be outdone by OK!, Life & Style created a more realistic cover claiming that Her Royal Highness was expecting just one baby. Twins would be silly, right?
OK! – February 2016 I spy a gold sticker, so it has to be true.
Life & Style – April 2016 Nope.
Life & Style – May 2016 It’s August, so even if Catherine hadn’t yet hit the three-month mark back in May, an announcement would have been made by now. Nice try, though. Good effort all-around.
National Enquirer – April 2016 Look at that! Someone puts a crown on Catherine and BOOM, she’s a queen. And look! A gold sticker to make it official.
Life & Style – July 2016 Oh wow, she made it official? Must be true (Christmas was five months away at this point).
Globe – July 2016 Look out, world! The Queen gave Catherine some ermine and a sparkly diadem, so sister is ready to rule the United Kingdom. It was such big news that someone even photoshopped Catherine’s head on Her Majesty’s body circa ’56. If that isn’t confirmation, then what is? Plus, you know, there’s a gold sticker so it has to be true.
Life & Style – October 2016 Kate Middleton is not 90 pounds or pregnant. But try telling that to this tabloid cover.
OK! Weekly – October 2016 Are Kate Middleton and Prince William going to be named King and Queen in a royal coronation? No, despite what this headline reads.