Fake AI-Generated Christmas Card Featuring Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's Children Circulates Online
An AI-generated fake Christmas card showing artificially created images of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, circulated on social media in December 2024. The card contained obvious signs of AI generation, including distorted floor tiles, missing dog parts, and poorly rendered hands and feet. Neither Harry nor Meghan were involved in creating the fake card.
What happened
A black-and-white AI-generated Christmas card showing Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet standing arm-in-arm and smiling was created and posted on social media in December 2024. The card bore the message 'Merry Christmas & Happy New Year from Prince Archie & Princess Lilibet' and included AI-generated images of the couple's family dogs.
The fake card contained multiple obvious signs of AI generation, including warped floor tiles, one dog missing a leg, distorted clothing, and hidden hands and feet. Social media users quickly identified the image as artificial and neither Prince Harry nor Meghan Markle were involved in its creation.
Reported impact
The fake Christmas card caused widespread outrage on social media, with supporters of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle criticizing it as 'pathetic fakery' and 'disgusting.' The image was created without the consent or involvement of the royal couple, raising concerns about the non-consensual use of their children's likenesses.
Index analysis
The incident illustrates the ease with which AI image generation tools like Canva can be misused to create synthetic media depicting real people, particularly children, without consent. The poor quality of the AI-generated image did not prevent it from spreading widely on social media platforms.
Governance controls
Supporters of the royal couple, known as the Sussex Squad, disputed responsibility for the creation and defended the couple online. The fake card was reportedly created on Canva and shared across social media.
Classification
Sources and evidence
Sources not yet published
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