The King’s former butler has been forced to deny a fake story about Charles selling Highgrove House as the BBC has had to defend its coverage of the Princess of Wales’s cancer diagnosis.
Among the series of untrue claims being made about the British royal family by a Russian disinformation network in its ongoing information war with Ukraine is that the monarch has sold the royal residence to Volodymyr Zelensky for £20m.
Charles’ ex-butler Grant Harrold, who is now a royal commentator, was falsely claimed to have confirmed the sale in an interview. His spokeswoman told The Times: “This story is completely false and Grant has made no comment on this.”
It comes as The Independent understands the BBC received just over 100 complaints about its coverage of Kate’s health from people who believed it was “excessive and insensitive”.
Kate revealed she was undergoing treatment for the disease in an emotional video message released on 22 March.
In a statement issued on Friday in response, the corporation, which aired the full video, said it was “mindful” of its reporting approach and did not speculate on details that had not been made public.
Royals targeted in Russia’s disinformation war with fake story about King selling Highgrove
Among the incorrect allegations being made by pro-Kremlin campaigners is the suggestion circulating on fake news sites that King Charles has sold his royal residence Highgrove House to Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky for £20m.
The bizarre report was initially made in a YouTube video that featured someone who claimed to be the estate agent behind the made-up sale. However, security experts told The Times the character, named Sam Murphy, appeared to be AI-generated.
Tara Cobham7 April 2024 08:00
BBC forced to defend coverage of Kate Middleton’s cancer diagnosisBBC forced to defend coverage of Kate Middleton’s cancer diagnosis
The broadcaster, which had aired the full video, said it was “mindful” of its reporting approach and did not speculate on details that had not been made public.
Read the full story here…
Lydia Patrick7 April 2024 07:00
Kate Middleton’s health history as she reveals she has cancer
The Princess of Wales has announced she has been diagnosed with cancer and is in the early stages of preventative chemotherapy.
However, subsequent tests revealed the presence of cancer and she has since been advised to undergo treatment, which she is in the early stages of receiving.
“This of course came as a huge shock, and William and I have been doing everything we can to process and manage this privately for the sake of our young family,” she said.
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Lydia Patrick7 April 2024 06:00
Mother who had preventative chemotherapy urges Kate Middleton to ‘stay positive’
Terri Grice, 50, felt a sharp pain under her armpit and a ‘tiny pea size lump’ under her right breast in 2011 but brushed off her symptoms.
Fortunately, her late husband Mark made her a GP appointment which led to a breast cancer diagnosis.
The mother-of-three from Chester started the long journey to recovery with an operation to remove the tumour, a lumpectomy, and then a course of “adjuvant chemotherapy” to ensure her body stayed cancer-free.
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Lydia Patrick7 April 2024 05:00
Kate Middleton cancer diagnosis: Princess of Wales’ statement in full
Having initially thought the condition she had was non-cancerous, tests after the operation found the disease was present.
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Lydia Patrick7 April 2024 04:00
What are the ‘silent cancers’ that don’t have any symptoms?
As Kate, The Princess of Wales, reveals that her cancer diagnosis was discovered after she underwent abdominal surgery, Anna Magee looks at the subtle symptoms of cancer that are often mistaken for other things
Lydia Patrick7 April 2024 03:00
Prince Louis is ‘quite a handful’, jokes Camilla
Prince Louis is ‘quite a handful’, jokes Camilla
The Queen joked her grandson Louis was “quite a handful” as she met crowds of well-wishers on a visit to the Isle of Man. Camilla made the comment about Prince Louis, the youngest child of William and Kate, as she greeted people outside Douglas Borough Council on Wednesday 20 March. Meeting 38-year-old Rachael Hughes and her 15-week-old twin boys Louie and Oliver, the Queen said: “I have a Louis grandson… quite a handful”. Ms Hughes said the Queen had come over to “admire” the boys in their matching blue outfits, adding: “[She] asked their names and said it gets easier when they are two.
Lydia Patrick7 April 2024 02:00
Carole Middleton keeps Waleses together after Kate’s cancer diagnosis
A source close to the Middletons told The Independent: “Carole has been the driving force keeping the family together with minimum fuss and maximum modesty.
“She’s ferried and fetched George, Louis and Charlotte, taken them to school sports matches and given them endless support. She’s been a real Mary Poppins-like figure.”
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Lydia Patrick7 April 2024 01:00
The vital lesson William and Harry should learn from history
A new biography of George VI and Elizabeth draws inevitable similarities between the destructive influence of Wallis Simpson and Meghan Markle on monarchy then and now. But, argues Anna Pasternak, the past tells us it’s the relationship between the future king and his brother we should really be concerned about…
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William and Harry and the history lesson they need to get back on track
A new biography of George VI and Elizabeth draws inevitable similarities between the destructive influence of Wallis Simpson and Meghan Markle on monarchy then and now. But, argues Anna Pasternak, the past tells us it’s the relationship between the future king and his brother we should really be concerned about…
Lydia Patrick7 April 2024 00:00
‘I’ve spent years trying to unravel boarding school damage – Charles Spencer and Nicky Campbell are not alone’
Both Charles Spencer and BBC presenter Nicky Campbell have recently talked about the sadistic cruelty they experienced as children at their independent schools. As a teacher from the Edinburgh Academy is convicted of “cruel and unnatural acts”, psychotherapist Joy Schaverien reflects on the devastating consequences for pupils who can suffer from ‘boarding school syndrome’ all their adult lives
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I’ve spent years trying to unravel the damage of ‘boarding school syndrome’
Both Charles Spencer and BBC presenter Nicky Campbell have recently talked about the sadistic cruelty they experienced as children at their independent schools. As a teacher from the Edinburgh Academy is convicted of “cruel and unnatural acts”, psychotherapist Joy Schaverien reflects on the devastating consequences for pupils who can suffer from ‘boarding school syndrome’ all their adult lives
Lydia Patrick6 April 2024 23:00
