The Prank That Fooled the Royal Navy

A group of pranksters once tricked the British Royal Navy into giving a full tour of their most powerful battleship to a fake delegation of African royals. The imposters were simply wearing robes and fake beards.

In 1910, Horace de Vere Cole and his friends painted their faces black and dressed in elaborate costumes to masquerade as Abyssinian royalty. They sent a telegram to the fleet, and the Navy responded by rolling out the red carpet, complete with a formal inspection and military honors. The officers never realized they were hosting a group of writers and artists until the prank was exposed in the press weeks later. The incident became a national sensation and remains one of history’s most audacious acts of impersonation.