Why Does Social Media Think King Charles Is Coming Back As Trisha Paytas' Baby? The Viral Meme Explained

Influencer and content creator Trisha Paytas has become the unexpected subject of memes after it was announced that King Charles III has cancer. The memes have people claiming that King Charles will be reincarnated as Trisha Paytas' second baby Elvis and are inspired by an earlier set of memes claiming that Queen Elizabeth was reincarnated as her first baby. Here's what you need to know.

What Is The "King Charles Reincarnated as Trisha Paytas' Second Baby" Meme?

On September 8th, 2022, it was announced that Queen Elizabeth II died. On September 14th, Trisha Paytas had her first baby, Malibu Barbie. These close dates inspired a viral meme across social media where people claimed that the queen was reincarnated as Malibu Barbie, with Trisha herself even playing into the joke.

In February 2024, it was announced that King Charles has cancer. The news was devastating to many, but some of the more chronically online social media users out there were immediately taken back to the September 2022 memes. They quickly revived the meme and began speculating that King Charles was destined to become Trisha Paytas' second baby, Elvis.

How Is "King Charles Reincarnated as Trisha Paytas' Second Baby" Used In Memes?

Shortly after the king's cancer diagnosis was reported, people flocked to social media to revive the reincarnation memes. This time, instead of Queen Elizabeth II, King Charles III is the target of the jokes. Trisha Paytas was six months pregnant at the time his cancer diagnosis was reported, leaving many to morbidly assume that Charles may succumb to his illness by the time she gives birth.

The memes are largely the same as 2022, with popular examples including reaction videos of people floating or being transported alongside phrases like "King Charles on his way to Trisha Paytas' womb." Others are reacting in shock to the closeness of the timing surrounding the diagnosis and Paytas' expected delivery date.

How Has Trisha Responded To The Memes?

Trisha Paytas quickly responded to the memes through a video posted to TikTok the day they began. In the video, she expresses some exhaustion over the meme, saying she "gets it" but expressing that King Charles is a real, living man. When the Queen Elizabeth memes took off she'd already died, whereas Charles is alive, argually making it a bit more morbid this time around.

Further, she wishes for a "speedy recovery" for Charles and says that the "only king that [her baby] should be related to is the king of rock and roll," referencing the name of her future child, Elvis. She also discusses concerns over the meme because she believes in manifestation, worrying that the meme might lead, in some indirect, cosmic way, to Charles' death.

For the full history of the King Charles reincarnating as Trisha Paytas' Second Baby meme, be sure to check out Know Your Meme's encyclopedia entry for more information.