Russian media sent into frenzy over ‘fake news’ story claiming that the Queen has died
NEW Russian dirty tricks are suspected after the Moscow media ran a frenzy of reports claiming that the official Buckingham Palace website had announced the death of the Queen.
The fake stories claimed the site published but then withdrew a story that the monarch had died.
The alleged report on royal.uk was headlined 'Death of Queen Elizabeth II' - but was denied by Buckingham Palace to a leading Russian media outlet.
Screenshots then showed what appeared to be the start of a statement from the Press Secretary to the Queen, saying: "Prince Charles with the greatest sadness has asked for the following announcement to...."
The rest is not shown.
A report in pro-Kremlin newspaper Izvestia stated: "Some netizens have suggested that the absence of a denial confirms the tragedy in the Royal family, which they have decided not to announce yet, given the necessity to carry all relevant procedures - including the secret ones."
The article mentions the Queen's health problems over Christmas and New Year, saying she "skipped" church services, and that she delayed the start of her annual holiday at Sandringham.
It neglected to mention that she had attended church on Sunday.
The timing of the supposed posting on the royal website was not mentioned but it was claimed that some web users had saved the screenshot.
Another major pro-Kremlin news website - Life.ru - said it had spoken to Buckingham Palace, and was told: "It is totally untrue. It could not have been on this website. Could you please send us a screenshot or any link to this information?"
"Internet users became anxious because of the report at the official website of the royal family that Elizabeth II died at the age of 90," stated the report.
"Buckingham Palace has denied the report about the death of the queen Elizabeth II that was earlier posted on the official (royal) website and was later removed."
The story went on: "Let us recall that rumours about the death of the British queen came out when she disappeared from the news, especially when Elizabeth II did not attend traditional Christmas service.
"The Royal family said that it happened because the queen was unwell."
Even the Russian Defence Ministry's TV channel Zvezda reported the claim about the queen's death, reposting the apparently fake screenshot from royal.uk.
Another major newspaper - Russia's largest tabloid Komsomolskaya Pravda - headlined its story: "The website of the royal family has urgently removed information about the death of Elizabeth II."
It said: "The official website of the British royal family has posted news about the death of Queen Elizabeth II but later urgently removed it.
"Despite the fact that the post was quickly removed, screenshots were made and were quickly reposted on the web.
"The management of the portal is not commenting on the posted information.
"Users of social networks suppose that the death of the queen maybe needed to be kept secret for a little while for some necessary procedures."
The story took off in the Moscow media and there were claims it originated on small Russian websites.
It comes amid controversy over Russian hacking of the US election and Western institutions and claims about "troll factories" run by a pro-Vladimir Putin oligarch to boost the Kremlin leader and denigrate the West.