Fact check: Parody account responsible for post about Queen Elizabeth impersonators and Sept. 11

The claim: Queen Elizabeth impersonators called monarch's death their 9/11

In the days since Queen Elizabeth II died, social media users have been spreading misinformation about the death of the United Kingdom's longest reigning monarch.

A Sept. 8 Instagram post showing a mock tweet from The Hollywood Reporter circulated widely online, accumluating more than 5,000 likes in five days.

"'This our 9/11/.' - Queen Elizabeth Impersonators speak out at recent health concerns for British monarch," reads a screenshot of the tweet.

But the Hollywood Reporter did not post this tweet, a spokesperson for the magazine said.

The user who originally posted the tweet told USA TODAY it is a parody account, as the profile also notes. The user who posted the screenshot of the tweet on Instagram did not respond to a request for comment.

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Tweet began as parody

The tweet originated from @TheHolywoodRep, which, according to its profile, is a parody account. @THR is the handle for The Hollywood Reporter’s Twitter account, not @TheHolywoodRep.

The @TheHolywoodRep replied to USA TODAY's request for comment via a Twitter exchange, reiterating that the account was a parody.

Nevertheless, many social media users on Twitter and Instagram, where the mock tweet was posted, appeared to take the tweet seriously.

One Instagram user wrote, "Only one person died this time but go off." Another commented, "Who would say this."

Christy Piña, a social media coordinator at The Hollywood Reporter, told USA TODAY the Twitter account was impersonating the entertainment magazine.

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Our rating: Satire

Based on our research, we rate SATIRE the claim that Queen Elizabeth impersonators called the monarch's death their 9/11. The claim originates from a parody Twitter account, and on Twitter it was labeled as such.

Our fact-check sources:

• Christy Piña, Sept. 9, Email exchange with USA TODAY

• The Hollywood Reporter, accessed Sept. 9, Twitter Profile

• User @TheHolywoodRep, accessed Sept. 9, Profile

• User @TheHolywoodRep, Sept. 9, Twitter exchange

• USA TODAY, Sept. 8, Queen Elizabeth II dies at 96: A timeline of her life, royal reign

• USA TODAY, Sept. 9, Fact check: Queen Elizabeth II died in Scotland, contrary to false claims citing US locations

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Fact check: Parody account created post about queen impersonators