An American tabloid has published a shocking front cover claiming that Queen Elizabeth is dying and the Duchess of Cornwall has an ‘evil plot’ to seize the throne.
Globe magazine alleges that the 86-year-old monarch is ‘sick and fading fast.’
The cover of the weekly magazine shows a close-up photo of the Queen with the headline ‘World Exclusive – Queen dying!’
According to the magazine, the Queen’s health problem has triggered a bitter battle for the crown by her daughter-in-law Camilla.
The Duchess of Cornwall is frequently the target of negative coverage by the magazine.
The publication claims she is trying to sabotage Prince William and Kate Middleton from stepping up to the throne.
‘The Queen’s condition is fading and ruthless Camilla has been plotting,’ a source told the magazine.
While Buckingham Palace refused to comment on the claims, the Queen’s recent public schedule has still been robust.
On Friday the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh were photographed saying farewell to the President of Indonesia, Dr Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and his wife at Buckingham Palace.
The day before she unveiled a colourful stained glass window to commemorate her Diamond Jubilee at the Chapel of the Savoy in London.
Globe magazine, which is published in Florida, is no stranger to controversy.
In 1997, it caused outrage when it printed autopsy photos of the murdered child beauty queen JonBenét Ramsey.
In her hometown of Boulder, Colorado, many stores were so outraged by the publication that they took the edition off the stands.
In 2010 it published a front cover with a picture of actor Gary Coleman during his last hours – sparking outrage throughout the world.
In the photograph Coleman can be seen on his hospital bed, hooked up to equipment whilst his ex-wife, Shannon Price poses next to him.
The headline shouts ‘It was murder’ and credits the picture as the ‘Last photo.
The publication covers a widespread range of topics, including politics, celebrity news, human interest and high-profile crime stories.
But it also frequently features the British Royal family on its pages.
Past allegations that have been plastered across the front cover include ‘Camilla’s suicide attempt! Breaks leg in terrifying leap,’ and Princess Diana’s secret daughter!’
Kate Middleton has now also become a staple for the magazine – since her 2011 wedding she has been dogged by media rumours that she is pregnant.
But Globe magazine took the story further and claimed she was pregnant, and miscarried her first child with Prince William.
They ran the headline: ‘Kate loses baby! Her crushing heartbreaking as William leaves for military duty.’
The shocking allegations about Queen Elizabeth’s health come during at difficult year for the royal family and their relationship with the media.
In September Prince William and Kate were said to be ‘devastated’ after hundreds of intimate snaps of the Duchess were published.
The explicit photographs were taken as the Duke and Duchess holidayed at a secluded Provence chateau owned by the Queen’s nephew, Viscount Linley.
A strongly worded Palace statement compared the photographs to the ‘worst excesses of the Press and paparazzi during the life of Diana’.
The photos, shot with a long lens, exposed her breasts and bottom on swimming pool terrace.
They were first published in French Closer magazine, and then in numerous other countries, including Italy and Ireland.
Prince William called for the photographer responsible to be jailed – a possibility which is technically possible thanks to France’s strict privacy laws.
Only a few weeks previously it would have been hard to miss the sensationalised media storm that erupted when pictures of a naked Prince Harry in Vegas were leaked to the world press.
The slightly grainy snap shots were taken on a camera phone during a private party in the five-star Encore Wynn resort where was pictured playing ‘strip billiards’ with pretty young girls.