Sarah Wilson Faked Being Royalty

The common folk enjoys the concept of misplaced royalty for some reason. It's difficult to resist the notion that someone has a hidden talent, which is how Sarah Wilson became known as Princess Susanna Caroline Matilda of Mecklenburg-Strelitz.

She was actually a prisoner, but in 1772, after freeing herself from servitude, she persuaded people that she was the Queen's sister. She visited North Carolina and Virginia, making friends with dignitaries and politicians.

She was familiar with courtly etiquette and could support her accusations with a stolen portrait of the Queen. After being eventually apprehended by the guy who had bought her, she arranged yet another escape, got married, and eventually vanished without a trace.