By: Sam Doak
September 30 2022
False: King Charles fathered a secret child who is now heir to the British throne.
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Fact-Check
The Verdict False
There is no evidence to suggest Prince William is not first in the line of succession.
Context
Following the death of Queen Elizabeth II, a 56-year-old Queensland, Australia resident has renewed his longstanding effort to be recognized as the firstborn son of King Charles. Simon Dorante-Day has claimed for years to be the child of the King, saying he was informed of his standing by his adoptive grandmother.
According to Dorante-Day, he is the product of an affair beween King Charles and his wife Camilla before the former's marriage to Princess Diana. He believes his birth was hidden from the public, and the Royal Family arranged for him to be adopted.
To support his claim, Daronte-Day points to what he characterizes as irregularities around his birth cerificate and the fact that both his adoptive grandparents were employed by the royals on various estates.
Since the death of the Queen, Daronte-Day's claims have gained increasing relevance and attention. One video that puts forward his argument for why he ought to be considered the "true future king" has been viewed over 6.7 million times on Facebook since it was posted on September 28, 2022.
In fact
No evidence has been offered to support Simon Dorante-Day's claims about his parentage or entitlement to the British throne. On the contrary, there are two points that undermine his account and claim to the throne. The first of these is that, in Dorante-Day's story, he was conceived in 1965 as the result of a relationship beween the now King and Queen consort, even though accepted accounts place their first meeting at a polo match in 1970.
Even if Dorante-Day were the son of the King, this would not automatically confer upon him a claim to the throne. Under the current rules of succession, only children born within marriage are routinely factored in. The King and Camilla married in 2005, decades after the birth of their alleged son.
The verdict
There is no evidence Simon Dorane-Day is the true heir to the British throne. This claim must therefore be considered false.