FACT CHECK: No, Queen Elizabeth II Did Not Pass Away Nov. 1

Hannah Hudnall | Fact Check Reporter

A video shared on Facebook claims in its title that Queen Elizabeth II died on Nov. 1.

Verdict: False

The queen did not pass away on that date. She has been spotted several times since Nov. 1.

Fact Check: 

The queen, who is 95 years old, made headlines when she spent a night in the hospital on Oct. 20, the first time she had done so in several years, according to Reuters. She was released the next day, and Buckingham Palace said the visit was for “preliminary investigations,” the outlet reported.

A video shared on Facebook, however, claims in its title that she passed away last week. “Queen passed away minutes ago! William left Kate ‘in tears’,a change in British crown will come today,” reads the Nov. 1 video’s title. Notably, the four-and-a-half minute video does not reiterate or provide any evidence to support the claim made in its title.

There is no evidence the queen has died. Buckingham Palace has made no statement about her alleged death. No major British news outlets, including BBC News, The Guardian and The Sun, reported anything to corroborate the Facebook post’s claim. (RELATED: FACT CHECK: Did Buckingham Palace Confirm Queen Elizabeth Tested Positive For Coronavirus?)

The queen has also been spotted since Nov. 1. She was seen leaving Windsor Castle to travel to Sandringham, her home in Norfolk, England, on Nov. 4 as part of a long-planned trip, according to BBC News. She was also spotted being driven around Sandringham in a Range Rover on Nov. 8, the Daily Mail reported. The Daily Mail article includes several pictures of the queen riding as a passenger in the vehicle.

This is not the first time baseless rumors of a public figure dying have spread on the internet. Check Your Fact has previously debunked death hoaxes targeting Clint EastwoodRowan Atkinson, Elon Musk and John Cena.

Hannah Hudnall

Fact Check Reporter

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