An image shared on Facebook allegedly shows Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein tweeting about Prince Philip’s death.

Verdict: False

The image has been fabricated. It appears to have originated as satire from an Instagram meme account.

Fact Check:

The alleged screen grab of a Twitter conversation between Gates and Epstein has circulated online since the death of Prince Philip, the husband of British monarch Queen Elizabeth II. The Duke of Edinburgh passed away at the age of 99 on April 9, Buckingham Palace announced in a statement.

In the image, Epstein supposedly tweets two times in a row on April 9: “RIP Prince Phillip” and “How do I delete.” Gates appears to then respond, “Bro delete this.” (RELATED: Did Bill Gates Visit Jeffrey Epstein’s Private Island At Least 17 Times?)

However, the April 9 exchange is clearly fabricated, as Epstein died from an apparent suicide in August 2019 while awaiting trial for federal sex trafficking charges. While the fake tweet from Gates does have the same handle and photo as his verified Twitter account, there is no record of Gates tweeting the comment in response to the Twitter user @JeffreyEpstein.

The Twitter handle @JeffreyEpstein is registered to another Twitter user that states in his bio that he is “not that Jeffrey Epstein.” The Twitter user’s profile picture is different than what can be seen in the fabricated exchange, and the account does not have a blue verification badge.

The handle @shitheadsteve in the image indicates the fake Twitter thread originated from the Instagram meme account @shitheadsteve. The image of the fake Twitter interaction between Gates and Epstein appears to have been created for satirical purposes.