Rumours claiming King Charles III is dead emerged from Russian media sources, sparking widespread speculation and concern. Here’s a comprehensive breakdown of the events and facts surrounding these claims.
Russian media reports King Charles III is Dead
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On a Monday afternoon, a sudden announcement in Russian media claimed that King Charles III was dead.
The news began to spread after a post on a Telegram channel used by Vedomosti, a formerly reputable business newspaper, showing King Charles in a ceremonial military uniform with a caption stating,
“British King Charles III has died.”
This claim quickly proliferated through various Russian internet channels, including Readovka, a pro-Kremlin Telegram channel with over 2.35 million subscribers.
Readovka presented a document, with unclear origins, next to a photograph of King Charles, claiming,
“The king passed away unexpectedly yesterday afternoon,” dated 18 March 2024.
This document mimicked the official palace announcement style used for Queen Elizabeth’s death, raising suspicions about its authenticity.
According to reports, another bizarre twist in the saga was an abdication letter circulating, humorously naming “King Bob, the yellow Minion” as Charles’s successor.
The story reached as far as Ukraine and Tajikistan, with significant media outlets in these countries reporting on the rumour.
When was King Charles last seen alive?
Amid the swirling rumours, the last confirmed public sighting of King Charles III was on Wednesday, 13 March 2024.
The Royal Family shared a photograph of the King at Buckingham Palace, receiving Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Janet Scotland, the Baroness Scotland of Asthal.
This appearance was just days before the rumours of his death began to circulate, providing some reassurance about his well-being at that time.
Here’s what we know about the reports
In response to the spreading rumours, the British Embassy took to its Telegram channel to clarify the situation in Russian, stating unequivocally that the reports about King Charles III’s death were false.
Similarly, the British Embassy in Ukraine issued a statement to debunk the fake news. Initial disseminators of the rumour, including Readkovka and Mash, both known for their pro-Putin stances, later corrected their reports.
In February 2024, King Charles III was diagnosed with cancer.
The diagnosis came after a routine hospital visit for what was initially an enlarged prostate issue, leading to further tests that uncovered this significant health challenge, the Royal Family revealed in a statement.
Despite this setback, the Palace keenly emphasised the King’s positive outlook and his determined intention to continue fulfilling his royal duties and state business to the best of his ability during his treatment period.
The King is grateful to his medical team for their swift intervention, which was made possible thanks to his recent hospital procedure. He remains wholly positive about his treatment and looks forward to returning to full public duty as soon as possible,” the Royal Family said at the time.