Fact Check: Posts Claiming This Vid Shows Kate Middleton Fans Throwing Cake in King Charles' Face Are Wrong
Claim:
A video shows Kate Middleton supporters throwing a cake baked by her in King Charles’ face, as Prince William and Queen Consort Camilla look on without trying to stop them.
Rating:
A viral video that has circulated since 2023 claims to show Kate Middleton supporters hitting King Charles in the face with cake, while Prince William and Queen Consort Camilla look on without intervening. One post on X claimed, "Prince William and Queen Consort Camilla stand idly by, while Kate Middleton supporters throw cake she baked into the face of King Charles."
The X post also attributed a quote to an unnamed "senior royal" who claimed, "[Middleton] is showing her displeasure at the invitation Charles extended to Harry and Meghan to attend the coronation."
(X user @isexton)
Another 2024 post on X claimed it was a group called "Just Stop Oil" making Charles eat cake.
Just Stop Oil make King Charles eat cake.pic.twitter.com/3vPY4eOfGW
— BladeoftheSun (@BladeoftheS) July 22, 2024
This video is taken from an October 2022 protest in which a group attacked the wax statue of King Charles at London's Madame Tussauds. The real king and his family were not present. They were all statues, and the protesters wore T-shirts that said "Stop Oil." We thus rate the claim that Kate Middleton supporters were behind the cake prank as "False."
Madame Tussauds confirmed the incident in a statement: "At approximately 10.50am today (24 Oct), protestors entered the 'World Stage' Zone at Madame Tussauds London and appeared to throw what is believed to be cake at our figures of The Royal Family. [...] Our security team dealt with the incident quickly and we are working closely with the Metropolitan Police on this matter. The attraction remains open, with our Royal Family set closed temporarily."
The protesters were reportedly calling for the government to halt all new oil and gas licenses. Four people were arrested for criminal damage.
The protest group shared the same video of the demonstration on its Twitter account:
🎂 BREAKING: JUST STOP OIL CAKES THE KING 🎂
👑 Two supporters of Just Stop Oil have covered a Madame Tussauds waxwork model of King Charles III with chocolate cake, demanding that the Government halts all new oil and gas licences and consents.#FreeLouis #FreeJosh #A22Network pic.twitter.com/p0DJ8v3XVB— Just Stop Oil (@JustStop_Oil) October 24, 2022
Given that the video clearly shows statues of the royal family, not the real royals, and the incident was a 2022 political protest having nothing to do with Kate Middleton, we rate this video as "Miscaptioned."
Sources:
"Madame Tussauds: Protesters Throw Cake on King Charles Waxwork." BBC News, 24 Oct. 2022. www.bbc.com, https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-63374080. Accessed 4 May 2023.
