Famous People Who Had Mumps: From Presidents to Pop Stars

Before routine MMR vaccination (introduced 1968 in US, 1988 in UK), mumps was a near-universal childhood experience. Many public figures have acknowledged past infection:

• Justin Trudeau (Prime Minister of Canada) – age 11 (1972)
• Prince Harry (Duke of Sussex) – childhood (per memoir Spare)
• Bill Clinton (42nd US President) – teenager
• George W. Bush (43rd US President) – age 10
• Al Roker (TV meteorologist) – 2015 (adult breakthrough)
• David Ortiz (MLB star) – childhood
• James Cromwell (actor) – age 10
• John Krasinski (actor) – childhood
• Matt LeBlanc (actor, Friends) – childhood

What These Cases Illustrate

• Mumps affected all socioeconomic strata.
• Adult infections (like Roker’s) can occur due to waning immunity or missed vaccination.
• Pre-vaccine era: ~200,000 US cases/year; post-vaccine: <1,000 in most years (with outbreak spikes).
• Complications (orchitis, meningitis, deafness) were not uncommon before vaccination.

These examples underscore why universal MMR vaccination remains a public health priority.