How can I tell if a Royal Albert piece is authentic?

Check the backstamp, the decoration, and the form. Factory marks tend to be clear, centred, and placed under the glaze. Decoration usually sits neatly inside borders with clean lines and even colour. Gilding should look consistent rather than thick, patchy, or smeared. The glaze should feel glassy, with no gritty paint sitting on top. Compare the shape to known examples, such as handle curve, foot ring, and rim profile. A single odd feature does not prove a fake, yet a cluster of issues does. Listings with no base photo, or with a mark that looks printed on top of glaze, deserve an extra caution.