Confusion has become a common sight outside Buckingham Palace, as tourists flock to a Christmas market that does not exist. The lure of snow-dusted stalls serving mulled wine and hot chocolate, all set against the iconic backdrop of the royal residence, has proven irresistible to many. However, upon arrival, visitors are met with a stark reality: empty space, a few puddles, and pigeons.
The Viral Deception That Fooled London
The elaborate hoax began circulating on social media, with convincing AI-generated images depicting a bustling festive market directly outside the palace gates. The pictures, which featured the usual brown-yellow tones characteristic of AI imagery, showed stalls arranged in neat rows, inspiring a cozy Christmas feeling. The illusion was so persuasive that it sent both tourists and Londoners on a fruitless pilgrimage.
One such visitor, 36-year-old Londoner James BJ, recounted his disappointing experience to Metro on Sunday. ‘It was a complete waste of time,’ he said. ‘It was dark, cold and nothing was there.’ He was far from alone, estimating that around thirty other confused people were also milling around, asking each other if they had found the elusive market before eventually giving up and going home.
Unravelling the Source of the Hoax
The fake market did not appear out of thin air. The confusion was partly fuelled by a genuine announcement from Buckingham Palace regarding a Christmas shop in the Royal Mews. However, this is a pop-up shop within the existing Mews shop space, selling festive products from the Royal Collection Trust. It is not an outdoor market.
A spokesperson for the Royal Collection Trust explicitly told Metro: ‘There will not be a Christmas market at Buckingham Palace.’ Despite this clarity, social media was set ablaze with AI fabrications. Numerous accounts on platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok shared their own versions of the non-existent market. A key player in spreading the rumour was the account @london.travelers, which boasts 2.5 million followers. Although the post has since been deleted, its vast reach caused the false story to spread exponentially, with smaller accounts quickly copying the content.
Who is Behind the Fake News?
The @london.travelers account is run by the US-based travel company Athotel. The company promotes itself as offering customers ‘unmatched value with curated community insights’ and states on its website: ‘You can count on us to make your trip feel like that IG photo.’ Athotel manages over 100 social media accounts and claims to create seven viral posts per day. Metro has contacted the company for comment.
This incident highlights the growing challenge of distinguishing reality from AI-generated fiction online. As the technology becomes more sophisticated, the potential for such large-scale public confusion only increases, leaving people to question what they see on their screens.
