Why are Londoners falling for a fake Christmas market outside Buckingham Palace?

Have you heard about the massive Christmas market taking place outside Buckingham Palace? The festive extravaganza has seen the palace decked out with a quaint snow-covered alpine stalls, twinkly lights and a huge Christmas tree.

The only problem? It’s all totally fake. 

Tourists and Londoners are being tricked by an AI advert promoting a Crimbo market outside the Royals’ residence. The artificially created images, shared on social media, are promoting Buckingham Palace’s ‘first ever Christmas market’, which is allegedly running from November 14 to Jan 5 2026. However, if you look closely at the images, nearly all of them show the stands beyond the gates of the palace, which would be a infringement of counter-terror measures if they were real. Nice try, AI. 

Quite a few people have already been duped by the fake ads. One Londoner told Metro he tried to attend, but ‘it was dark, cold and nothing was there’. 

He added: ‘I asked a couple of people also milling around if they were there for the market, and they said said yes but no one knew what was going on.

‘There were around 30 of us, just walking back and forth until we gave up and went home.’

Others took to social media to share their disappointment. ‘I went last night and I confirm – it is not real!’ wrote one user. 

Various accounts on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok have posted different AI videos and photos of the palace’s market. One account, London.travelers, which has 2.5 million Instagram followers and is run by US travel company Athotel, apparently shared a fake image of the event, but has since taken it down.

If you were hoping for a festive shopping experience with a royal backdrop, not all hope is lost. Buckingham Palace has opened a Christmas shop in the Mews, its store that sells regal merch all year round. 

The Royal Collection Trust told Metro: ‘The Royal Mews Christmas Shop is a pop-up shop selling Royal Collection Trust festive products within the existing Royal Mews shop space. There will not be a Christmas market at Buckingham Palace.’ 

Check out the best festive markets in London for 2025. No fakes, promise. 

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