The Telegraph, citing government sources, has revealed accusations from the UK that Russia, China, and Iran are allegedly spreading false information about Princess of Wales Kate Middleton in an attempt to destabilize the country.
Accusations Amid Health Concerns
Officials believe these nations are orchestrating the spread of conspiracy theories and malicious rumors about Princess Kate's health, following her own announcement of a medical diagnosis. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has publicly criticized social media trolls for their recent attacks on the princess.
Despite this, she faced further criticism online for not sharing her diagnosis sooner.
Concerns have escalated within the British government over the potential involvement of adversarial state actors in amplifying the aggressive online campaign against the princess.
"Part of the enemy states' modus operandi is to destabilize the situation - whether it's undermining the legitimacy of our elections or other institutions," a governmental source disclosed.
This development surfaces as the UK is on the brink of imposing new sanctions against China, prompted by a series of state-sponsored cyber attacks targeting prominent MPs.
Royal Family in the Spotlight
Amid these challenges, Buckingham Palace sources have described the situation as a "temporary blip" rather than a "seismic shift" for the royal family. They conveyed that King Charles remains "very positive" and is gearing up to resume his public duties in the summer, health permitting.
There is also a call from the Palace for major social platforms to bolster their defenses against the rampant spread of falsehoods and conspiracy theories.
The disinformation campaign comes in the wake of Princess Kate Middleton's announcement that she is undergoing treatment for cancer, revealed last Friday. Earlier in February, news broke that the 75-year-old King Charles III has also been diagnosed with the disease.
