Jack White describes bond with Meg White in emotional Hall of Fame speech

The White Stripes are officially rock legends.

The duo, made up of singer Jack White and drummer Meg White, was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame over the weekend — cementing their decades-long influence, particularly on the grunge rock revival of the 2000s. 

But even as they celebrated this milestone, fans were once again left wondering about the true nature of their relationship.

During the induction ceremony on Saturday, November 8, at Los Angeles’ Peacock Theater, Jack White took the stage to honour his former bandmate, who was notably absent. He dedicated a touching parable to Meg, describing their beginnings and referring to them as “brother” and “sister.”

That phrasing sparked renewed curiosity. While the pair famously presented themselves as siblings throughout their career, it was actually a creative illusion. The two were, in fact, married in 1996 — a year before forming The White Stripes in Detroit in 1997. They divorced in 2000.

According to Far Out magazine, Jack (then known as John Gillis) met Meg when she was working as a barista at a Detroit café. After they began dating, they married, and Jack later took her last name, becoming Jack White.

As the band gained attention, they began referring to each other as siblings to shift focus away from their relationship and onto the music itself — a choice that added to their mysterious allure.

Though Meg has largely stayed out of the spotlight since the band’s 2011 split, Jack made sure her presence was felt.

“I spoke with Meg White the other day, and she said that she’s very sorry she couldn’t be here,” he told the audience. “She wanted me to tell you she’s very grateful to all the folks who support her through all the years. It really means a lot to her.”

He added with a smile that Meg even helped him write the speech and corrected his grammar along the way.

Olivia Rodrigo, Feist, and Twenty One Pilots honour White Stripes

Just because the White Stripes didn’t reunite for their Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction didn’t mean that their songs weren’t honoured.

To honour the band, Olivia Rodrigo joined Feist to sing a tender rendition of the White Stripes song We Are Going to Be Friends from their 2002 album White Blood Cells.

Then, Twenty One Pilots performed the White Stripes’ hit song, Seven Nation Army.