Stand down, everyone, Queen Elizabeth II is alive and well – give or take a heavy cold.
If you’re wondering what we’re talking about, let us explain – social media has been doing its worst over the past 24 hours.
A fake news account – it made itself look like the BBC – ‘announced’ the death of the UK’s reigning monarch.
Rumours of her demise have been spreading like wildfire.
The conspiracy theorists added fuel to said fire by claiming there was a media blackout, preventing the truth from being revealed.
Such was the circulation of the story, a spokesman at the Palace has been moved to deliver a statement denying it.
He said: “The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh continue to recover from their heavy colds.”
Seemingly, the ‘report’ managed to be somewhat believable due to HRH missing her Christmas Day appearance for the first time in 30 years due to ill health.
She was absent as the Royals attended Church at Sandringham.
The scaremongers claimed the media blackout would cease at 8am Friday morning.