Speculation surrounding the royal family has been rife in the past two weeks, spurred by King Charles III's health and Kate Middleton's public absence, with the flying of the British flag yet another source of rumors.
Baseless theories that King Charles III had died spread on Monday, disseminated in part from Russian social media accounts.
Others claimed amid similarly false rumors about a forthcoming "royal announcement" that the union jack, otherwise known as the union flag, above Buckingham Palace, had been lowered to half-mast.
The Claim
A post on X, formerly Twitter, by user @iqrarajputryk, posted on March 18, 2024, included a video and photo that seemed to show the union flag at half-mast above Buckingham Palace.
The post said: "The flag is half-mast in Buckingham Palace. News circulating either King Charles or Kate Middleton is no more. Anyone! What's going on & people are waiting for the royal announcement but in vain. #KateMiddleton || #RoyalAnnouncement"
Another post by user @tracker_deep, posted on March 18, 2024 and viewed 2.1 million times, added: "Something odd is going on...First reports of an imminent royal family announcement. Then the flag at Buckingham Palace is placed at half-staff."
The Facts
Rumors of an "extremely important royal announcement" were debunked on Monday, as were the claims that Charles had died.
The claim about flags being flown at half-mast is similarly baseless.
Social media users quickly posted photos that showed the flag above Buckingham Palace was not at half-mast. Many also claimed the video that appeared to show that the flag had been lowered was filmed in September 2022.
While Newsweek could not find the original video, this date corresponds with the death of Queen Elizabeth II, who died on September 8, 2022. The union flag was lowered after her death was announced.
While the Buckingham Palace website does not state the full protocol for lowering of flags above the palace, the Flag Institute, a U.K. charity "devoted to the study and promotion of flags and flag flying," provides some information.
Among other circumstances, it states that the union flag should be flown at half-mast "From the announcement of the death until the funeral of a member of the royal family styled 'royal highness,' subject to special commands from the sovereign in each case."
"On the day of the announcement of the death and on the day of the funeral of other members of the royal family, subject to special commands from the sovereign in each case."
It adds that the royal standard flag, which bears the royal coat of arms, is never flown at half-mast.
The royal family has the been subject of wild speculation over the past month, particularly over the whereabouts of Kate, who has barely been seen since Christmas.
Kensington Palace released a photo last week to mark Mother's Day in the U.K. of Kate with Princess Charlotte, Prince Louis, and Prince George, a seeming attempt to end the questions about her absence. However, the photo was "killed" by press agencies, with clear signs that the picture had been manipulated. A statement was later released on Kate's behalf saying she herself had edited the photo.
The Ruling
False.
The flags above Buckingham Palace were not flown at half-mast this week. Photos posted after the rumor spread showed the union flag at full mast.
Footage of the flag at half-mast is understood to have been filmed in September 2022.
FACT CHECK BY Newsweek's Fact Check team
Uncommon Knowledge
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