It’s alive! Despite reports to the contrary, King Charles III is still up and kicking. Well, maybe not kicking. Buckingham Palace denied reports by Russian media on March 18 based on a fake announcement of Charles’s death. “The King passed away unexpectedly yesterday afternoon,†the report said. This coincided with a torrent of speculation over Kate Middleton’s current whereabouts, given that she has not been seen since Christmas 2023. The deathly gossip started as St. Patrick’s Day rumo(u)rs that the BBC was on standby for an announcement from the royal family and government buildings were flying flags at half-mast. Keep calm: The royal family is still a mess, and their flag remains high.
Is King Charles dead?
No.
How did the rumors start?
Pakistani news outlet The News International reported on March 16 that the royal family was prepping British media for a “major announcement.†This was used as fodder for rumors that Charles was a goner. “Flags at half mast in some government buildings, bbc going all black again, going also on stand by for a imminent ‘big’ royal announcement,†one Twitter user said on St. Patrick’s Day, maybe manifesting in the name of Ireland.
Then, on March 18, Russian news sources, including Sputnik, reported on a fake statement given to them from a falsified Buckingham Palace statement. “King Charles III of Great Britain has died at the age of 75, according to media reports,†they wrote at the time, according to Daily Mail.
Why would anyone believe that?
Charles was recently diagnosed with cancer, the BBC reported on February 5, which was found during a prostate exam but is not prostate cancer.
But how do we know he’s not dead?
The claims were refuted on the same day as the Russian reports by the British Embassy in Ukraine, which tweeted out a statement saying “news about the death of King Charles III is fake.†The palace denied the rumors and the nastiness as well, telling the state-run Russian news agency TASS, “We are happy to confirm that The King is continuing with official and private business,†according to the New York Post. Done and done.
Okay … just confirming … he’s not dead?
Not yet.