It’s a grand British tradition. A ‘the Queen is dead’ hoax. Last night, a screencap of a WhatsApp chat group was posted on Twitter, in which a user called ‘Gibbo’ claimed (to his mates, who had names like ‘Ricey’) that the Queen had passed away from a heart attack. The screencap flashed across Twitter at the speed of light, and though the claim was disproved pretty sharpish, needless to say the roiling maelstrom that is Twitter ran away with things both during the febrile moments of belief, and after.

the fact that I’m still up trying to find out if the queen is actually dead even though I’m aware it all started on a WhatsApp chat with some guy called gibbo. #TheQueen pic.twitter.com/U1OEnr4j52

— Robyn (@robynkennedy_x) December 1, 2019

Everyone on twitter seeing Queen Elizabeth has died and then seeing the source #TheQueen pic.twitter.com/m2PQAlLuAr

— Jean Slater’s christmas crumpets (@Slaterscandal) December 1, 2019

difficult to know where the queen rumour emanated from as every single posh boy in england has at least three friends with names like gibbo ricey and cheeks

— Abby Tomlinson (@twcuddleston) December 1, 2019

Most trusted names in British News

Gibbo 42%
Ricey 15%
Cheeks 22%
Ricey's mate 5%#gibbo#thequeenisdead #thequeen

— Si Parris (@jessaroo12) December 1, 2019

The Queen walking to breakfast this morning- not dead #buckinghampalace #thequeen pic.twitter.com/3pUxpGzQS6

— Kyle (@KB2X) December 2, 2019

The Queen walking out of Buckingham Palace this morning hearing rumours she’s dead #thequeenisdead #buckinghampalace #QueenElizabeth pic.twitter.com/wxZWjGXO3Z

— Joe Robinson (@MrJoeRobinson) December 2, 2019

I’m thinking the #queendead hashtag was started by the Crown writers to get them some decent season 20 storylines

— Rex (@Rexi_Lex) December 2, 2019

"I was once in a WhatsApp group that leaked the death of the queen with my friends Burnsy, Cheeks, Gibbo, Ricey, Josh and Morty" pic.twitter.com/uKTq8lMDBP

— Liv (@fixyourheartsor) December 1, 2019

BREAKING NEWS: The Queen says she couldn’t have died last night because she was “at Pizza Express” in Woking #TheQueen #thequeenisdead pic.twitter.com/vGSeJ3aB3S

— Tom Gill (@TomGillUK) December 2, 2019

#Gibbo #TheQueen
Gibbo, the next morning, when the government and cops pull up at his door: pic.twitter.com/5VtSLYIOSW

— lowri lad✌🏼 (@lowri1010) December 2, 2019

Police: WHY DID YOU LIE ABOUT THE QUEEN?

Gibbo: pic.twitter.com/mbZLzt38ZL

— Hannah Golden (@antihan_) December 1, 2019

Imagine living in a world where 'Gibbo' is almost out-trending the Queen in a story about the Queen's own death pic.twitter.com/3wZn9IGRml

— Ambrose Young (@AmbroseYoung) December 1, 2019

the queen on twitter finding out that she’s dead pic.twitter.com/va25r91xUn

— gina linetti (@hasnataq) December 1, 2019

I see we have reached that time of year where I have to dispel rumours of HM's passing.

The Queen is not dead. She is alive & well and is very much looking forward to hosting President Trump and other world leaders at Buckingham Palace on Tuesday for the NATO reception.

— Charlie Proctor (@MonarchyUK) December 1, 2019

The Queen hoax is pure, distilled Twitter. Carnage, pure clownery and occasionally divine inspiration, then all the nerds who lock off their screens at a sensible time before bed wake up with absolutely no clue how to interpret the mad runes left from the 8 hours before.

— Ash Sarkar (@AyoCaesar) December 1, 2019

It'll be peak 2019 if Gibbo pulls through and the queen is actually dead like, what a way to round off the decade, with the bell rung by a dick pic in a WhatsApp group. Looking forward to seeing this on the crown in a few years. #Gibbo

— Dimble🅱️ (@DimblesTheDan) December 2, 2019

Petr is a staff contributor. You can follow him on Twitter.

Header Image Source: Getty Images

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