FACT-CHECKED: Video purporting to show naked man escaping Buckingham Palace is cut from TV show
A video circulating online purporting to show a naked man escaping from Buckingham Palace through a window using a bedsheet has been shared on social media in recent days. The video is actually a clip from the TV show, "The Royals."
BACKGROUND
A video shared on social media on September 10, purported to show a naked man escaping from an upper window of Buckingham Palace using a bedsheet to climb down the side of the building before losing his grip and falling. Two passersby are filmed watching the events unfold.
The uploader shared the 25-second video with the caption, "I’m guessing all those standing right now in front of Buckingham palace paying their respects, have forgotten this from a few years ago…A naked young man escaping from the palace through a window with the help of some bed sheets."
Another version of the video was shared on Twitter on September 12, with the user tweeting, "The naked boy climbing out of Buckingham Palace was *not* a hoax. It was filmed by a tourist. Ghislaine Maxwell practically had the front door key to Buckingham Palace. King Charles’ uncle Lord Mountbatten was an alleged paedophile. And then there’s Prince Andrew."
METHOD
A keyword search unearthed a March 3, 2015, article by E! News in which they clarify that the video was produced as a promo for the TV series "The Royals".
"But now, we have answers. With the below 'exclusive, never-before-seen extended footage of the scandal' from D-Throned, an online tabloid covering E!'s fictional modern-day royal family from The Royals, it's clear that this was a clever way for E! to give viewers a glimpse of the drama that will go down on the upcoming premiere season of the new show," journalist Carrie Dilluvio wrote.
"In the full tabloid video above, viewers see that the naked man was actually escaping from Princess Eleanor's (Alexandra Park) chambers, once again putting her back into the spotlight. The renegade royal has been spotted dancing wildly at a late night club and snogging at least one member of the cabinet," the narrator explains.
VERDICT
The video does not show a naked man escaping Buckingham Palace. The video is a fictional production.
Then why can't I find this scene in the program?