An Australian café in San Remo, Victoria, known as Beachside Bakehouse, recently garnered attention for tricking customers with a fabricated AI image featuring Prince Harry and Meghan Markle enjoying coffee on their terrace during the Sussexes’ ‘unofficial’ royal visit to Australia. The café shared the photo on Facebook with a caption implying they were prepared for royalty, leading some patrons to believe the picture was genuine.
While some visitors were in on the joke, others were genuinely fooled by the computer-generated likeness of the royal couple, with some even commending the staff on the supposed visit. However, one observant customer pointed out a discrepancy in the photo, noting that the AI version of Harry had more hair than the real Prince.
Despite mixed reactions, Beachside Bakehouse, briefly considering a name change to The Royal Bakehouse to mark the occasion, later revealed the photo was a playful prank tied to Harry and Meghan’s visit to Australia. The café explained that the post was intended for community amusement and expressed surprise at the overwhelming response, highlighting the exposure it brought to their small business.
Following the incident, Prince Harry praised the Australian government for implementing a social media ban for under-16s, calling it a significant move during a visit to a university technical college. Meanwhile, Meghan Markle shared her own struggles with online bullying, stating she was the target of relentless attacks for a decade, labeling herself as the most trolled individual globally.
In a separate event, Prime Minister Keir Starmer held discussions with tech giants to address the risks children face on social media, emphasizing the need for child protection even if it requires restricting access. Despite recent debates in Parliament, a proposed social media ban for under-16s akin to Australia’s regulations was rejected by MPs following a second attempt by the Lords.