Numerous unfounded rumors concerning the United Kingdom’s Royal Family have circulated on social media platforms. Over the weekend, viral reports claimed the death of ‘King Charles’, the alleged murder of Princess of Wales Kate Middleton, UK flags flying at half-mast, and an alert issued by the BBC.
However, upon fact-checking, all these assertions have been found to be false.
Royal Rumor No. 1: Alleged Death of King Charles
Buckingham Palace vehemently refuted rumors suggesting the demise of King Charles III. Initially propagated by Russian media outlets, including one named, the reports indicated that an ‘announcement’ regarding the purported tragedy was imminent. These reports referenced a fictitious statement dated March 18, falsely claiming: “The following announcement is made by royal communications. The King passed away unexpectedly yesterday afternoon.”
Russian media further claimed that the 75-year-old monarch had succumbed to complications arising from cancer surgery on March 18. The Buckingham Palace promptly debunked these reports, with the British Embassy in Ukraine issuing an official statement affirming that King Charles is alive and well.
The Palace informed the Russian state-run TASS news agency: “We are happy to confirm that The King is continuing with official and private business.”
Royal Rumor No. 2: BBC ‘Alert’
As speculation persisted regarding the whereabouts of Princess of Wales Kate Middleton, social media users alleged that the BBC had been placed on ‘alert’ for an impending announcement from the Royal Family. However, the British media outlet has not issued any statement regarding this purported alert.
X, the microblogging platform led by Elon Musk and formerly known as Twitter, fact-checked users claiming that the BBC’s logo had turned black.
Royal Rumor No. 3: Alleged Murder of Kate Middleton
Kate Middleton, also known as Catherine, the Princess of Wales, has been relatively inactive since undergoing abdominal surgery earlier this year. The Palace released a statement indicating that Kate Middleton might not be able to resume her Royal duties until late March.
A social media theory emerged over the weekend alleging that the Princess of Wales was “dead” and had been “murdered”. However, this was yet another instance of unfounded rumor-mongering. The 42-year-old Duchess was reportedly seen cheering for her children at an event near her residence.
According to a report by UK newspaper The Times on Saturday, Kate Middleton is expected to address concerns about her health at a public event. Meanwhile, King Charles, diagnosed with cancer last month, is reportedly determined to attend his official birthday celebrations on June 15.
