Buckingham Palace denies Russian media claims of King Charles III's death, clarifying the monarch's continued engagement amidst cancer treatment. (Shutterstock)
Buckingham Palace has been compelled to refute claims circulating in Russian media suggesting the demise of King Charles III on Monday. The reports stemmed from what appeared to be a dubious "announcement" bearing the seal of the British monarch's official London residence, dated March 18.
The purported statement stated, "The following announcement is made by royal communications. The King passed away unexpectedly yesterday afternoon." However, the palace swiftly countered these assertions, issuing a statement to the Russian state-run TASS news agency asserting, "We are happy to confirm that The King is continuing with official and private business."
The 75-year-old British monarch has been undergoing cancer treatment since late January. Meanwhile, concerns regarding the health of Charles' daughter-in-law, Kate Middleton, persist following her abdominal surgery on January 17. Despite her recent outing with Prince William to a local farm stand, which occurred over the weekend, doubts about her well-being remain, compounded by the absence of photographs.
Adding to the royal family's recent controversies, Kate faced backlash after a poorly edited family photo was released, prompting speculation and conspiracy theories about her and the broader British royal family. Amidst this atmosphere, various Russian mainstream news outlets and pro-Kremlin Telegram channels hastily circulated the unverified claim of King Charles' death.
Mash, a Telegram channel with a substantial following, was among the first to propagate the false news, stating, "Britain’s King Charles III has died, Buckingham Palace reports." Subsequent outlets such as Sputnik, RIA Novosti, and Readkovka echoed this misinformation. However, all these sources later issued corrections to rectify their mistake.
The correction from Mash emphasized the earlier diagnosis of cancer and subsequent surgery undergone by the king. Despite his ongoing outpatient treatment, Charles has maintained his official engagements, including a meeting with Baroness Patricia Scotland, the Commonwealth secretary-general, on March 13, as evidenced by a photo released by the palace. Additionally, he delivered a pre-recorded video address two days earlier to commemorate Commonwealth Day.
Looking ahead, Charles is anticipated to participate in the annual Trooping of the Colour ceremony marking his birthday on June 15, adhering to tradition either on horseback or in a carriage. These events underscore the resilience of the British monarchy amidst the challenges and speculations that periodically arise.
