Behind the Bastards – Part Three: Romana Didulo: Queen of Canada (February 10, 2026)

Main Theme & Purpose

This episode is the conclusion of a three-part deep dive into Romana Didulo, the self-declared "Queen of Canada" and a cultish internet figure whose bizarre reign blends QAnon conspiracies, faux-royal decrees, financial scams, and a caravan-based micro-cult. The hosts explore the escalation of Didulo’s activities, the lives of her followers, cult dynamics, notable real-world stunts, infamous internal drama, and the collapse and aftermath of her movement—including the emergence of even stranger “royalty.”

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Peak of the “Queen’s” Power and Fakery (02:16)

• Follower Count: By late 2021, Didulo had around 70,000 Telegram followers, her movement's peak ([02:16]).
• Financial Lifelines & Scams: Amid inflation and economic troubles, Didulo issued “decrees” abolishing taxes/credit card debt and handed out downloadable, self-print "promissory notes" usable as currency supposedly backed by the "Kingdom of Canada."
  • “It’s like a promissory note that you can print out from a downloadable template… You get to write your own number in. So it's a blank check for all of your… followers.” – Host ([04:09])
• Cult Economics: She made a show of helping followers afford groceries and necessities, but the “money” and decrees were meaningless outside the group.

2. The “Laws” of Didulo’s Kingdom (05:16)

• Didulo issued three core "laws," including violent retribution:
  • “If you kill, you will be killed. If you kill en masse… we will take out your family and your DNA strain. War and division are unlawful.”
  • The hosts highlight contradictions, noting her calls to violence against professionals but prohibition on social division.

3. Cult Logistics: RV Roadshow and Donations (06:23)

• Caravan Life: By 2022, Didulo’s movement became a nomadic caravan of about a dozen followers traversing Canada, fueled by $140,000+ in donations.
• Donor Profile: Most donations came from online followers, but some inner-circle devotees signed over everything to Didulo.
• Increasing Demands: As the scam wore on, Didulo expanded her claims, offering to teach “magical powers” to loyalists, including invisibility, learning to “run a country,” and negotiating hostages ([08:23]).

4. Science Fiction Meets Delusion (09:12)

• The Tomorrow War Obsession: Didulo became obsessed with the 2021 Chris Pratt film "The Tomorrow War," especially the female alien leader, linking this to her own mythos and power fantasies.
  • “[She] idolizes the queen Alien… the queen of the white spikes is stronger than all the males… Romana seems to really, really vibe with this.” – Host ([10:13])
• DNA X Fantasy: She blended conspiracy, science fiction, and the occult: “DNA X,” a tool she’d unleash thanks to “alien DNA technology… to make you live long and be all knowing” ([11:13]).

5. Cult Hierarchy, Control, and Internal Drama (11:27)

• Uniforms & Medals: As loyalty rituals, followers donned white button-down shirts with logo patches and what appeared to be Boy Scout medals.
  • “As soon as I saw the pictures… those do look like Boy Scout medals.” – Host ([14:17])
• Extreme Micromanagement & Punishments: Didulo demanded strict obedience and punished “treason” for infractions, e.g., threatening execution for a late RV rental pickup ([15:44]).
  • “The Queen called this treason and threatened to have him executed… being shot in the head or thrown from a helicopter.” – Host summarizing former inner-circle member’s fate ([15:44])
• Psychological & Physical Deprivation: Life in the caravan meant permission needed for basic activities like showering (often denied), poor meals, and exhausting days packed with pointless busywork.
  • “People would regularly work 16 hours at a time, but… all they’re doing is maintaining the caravan and handling bullshit work for her…” – Host ([23:33])
  • “Daisy estimates that she lost between 10 and 15 pounds.” – Host referencing a follower’s account ([20:52])

6. Surreal Rituals & Cult Identity (24:55)

• Rasputin Cult Anthem: Didulo made followers listen to Boney M’s “Rasputin” for up to 10 hours, and rewrote its lyrics about herself.
  • “There lives a fearless queen Romana Didulo. She may seem quite small but she's oh so powerful…” – Host reading cult anthem ([26:25])
  • “It's all. It's like 10 hours of fucking Rasputin. And I love that song... but 10 hours of that and her obsession with it is so weird.” – Host ([25:35])

7. Purges, Collapse, and Cult Fallout (27:32)

• Staff Ejections: Didulo routinely fired followers for “betrayal,” e.g., not seeking permission to run errands.
• Excommunication Consequences: Expelled followers faced doxing, public shaming, and veiled death threats online.
  • “Maybe he should be the first to hang publicly for all the other traitors to see what to expect.” – Host quoting a follower’s threat ([30:52])
• Desperate Cling to Belonging: Some followers were devastated to be expelled, expressing a profound need for group identity.

8. Real-World Escalation: The Peterborough “Coup” (39:39)

• Failed “Arrest” of Police: In August 2022, Didulo’s group attempted to citizens-arrest the Peterborough police—believing U.S. Special Forces and a “global military alliance” would back them.
  • “Frank Curtin starts by announcing, today we are going to turn the members of the Peterborough police station over to the US Special Forces military…” ([38:40])
• Cops’ Response: Police simply locked the doors, eventually arrested six Didulo followers, while Didulo herself fled responsibility.

9. The Richmond School “Kingdom” and Final Arrest (40:55)

• Cult HQ in Defunct School: A follower invited the cult to take over a closed school in tiny Richmond, aiming to set up a new HQ.
• Community Pushback: Locals tried to evict the cult, but some residents were already financially entangled due to Didulo's influence.
• Arrested for Intimidation: In fall 2025, Didulo was finally arrested—not for major fraud/abuse, but “intimidating four people, including a police officer.”
  • “They arrested her for being weird.” – Co-host ([44:14])
• No Major Harm: Despite high-profile stunts, there were no deaths or major acts of violence tied directly to Didulo.

10. The Aftermath: New “Queens” and Internet Royalty (45:33)

• The King of America and Rival Claimants: The self-declared “King of America,” David Carlson—once an ally, then rival—now appoints new “kings and queens” globally, including a new “Queen of Canada,” Charmaine.
• Satirical “Royal Seals”: The hosts gleefully describe Charmaine’s cartoonish pink royal logo and titles—mocking the absurdity of online conspiracy hierarchies.

Memorable Moments & Quotes

• On Promissory “Currency”:
  “Real groceries with made-up money.” – Co-host ([04:01])
• On Cult Decrees:
  “If you kill en masse, commit genocide, crimes against humanity, we will take out your family and your DNA strain.” – Host quoting Didulo ([05:16])
• On RV Life:
  “She justifies these punishments… by saying, nobody controls my timeline. Anybody that screws up my timeline is going to be tried for treason and shot in the head.” – Host ([16:38])
• On Control:
  “Life inside the cult on the road. Sounds like a living hell to me… Every morning at 6 or 7am the Queen would play her favorite song, Disco supergroup Boney M’s 'Rasputin'… for the entire duration of a 10-hour drive.” – Host ([24:55])
• On Followers’ Despair:
  “She really thought it was her destiny to be there… when you finally found the thing that gives you belonging and you get kicked out, that's like losing a limb.” – Host ([29:36])
• On Police Response to Coup Attempt:
  “The cops lock the door. Just like, eh. Not dealing with this right now.” – Host ([38:42])
• On the Movement’s Endgame:
  “There’s no body count. Other than that cat, maybe.” – Host ([45:00])

Notable Timestamps

• 02:16: Didulo at the height of her online following, issuing fake financial decrees/promissory notes.
• 04:09: Discussion and live reactions to Didulo’s fake “money.”
• 05:16: The Queen’s three dystopian “laws.”
• 11:27: Cult uniforms—white shirts and fake medals.
• 15:44: Case study: Extreme micromanagement and capital punishment threats.
• 24:55: Cult anthem: Rasputin on repeat and the followers’ own lyrics.
• 30:52: Death threats and shaming of expelled followers.
• 38:40-39:54: The failed citizen’s arrest of Peterborough police and Didulo’s escape.
• 40:55: The cult’s move into Richmond, community backlash, and Didulo’s 2025 arrest.
• 45:33-48:52: The “King of America,” rival internet royalty, and the satirical “Queen Charmaine.”

Tone & Style

The episode is a mix of scathing satire, gallows humor, and genuine empathy for cult followers. The hosts maintain a playful, incredulous commentary while dissecting the surreal and pathetic realities of Didulo's delusions and manipulations. The running interior monologue is irreverent but sympathetic—especially toward those drawn in by the cult out of a need for meaning.

Conclusion

"Behind the Bastards" exposes Romana Didulo less as a Machiavellian mastermind and more as a tragicomic figure whose con-artistry flourished amid social disaffection and online conspiracy-mongering. The saga culminates in a farcical self-implosion, with Didulo’s “royalty” ultimately usurped by rival cranks in an endless cycle of internet absurdity—providing a cautionary, strange, and darkly hilarious view of how cults can spin out in the age of social media.