(Web Desk) – A British radio station has issued an apology after mistakenly broadcasting an announcement claiming that King Charles III had died due to what it described as a technical malfunction.
According to station officials, the false announcement was aired on Tuesday afternoon by Radio Caroline after a computer error at its main studio in Essex accidentally triggered the station’s emergency “Death of a Monarch” protocol.
In a statement shared on Facebook, station manager Peter Moore said the system, which UK broadcasters keep prepared for use in the event of a monarch’s death, had been activated unintentionally.
“Due to a computer error at our main studio, the Death of a Monarch procedure, which all UK stations hold in readiness while hoping not to require, was accidentally activated,” Moore said.
Following the mistaken announcement, the station reportedly went silent in accordance with official broadcast procedures for royal mourning, prompting staff to quickly investigate the issue, restore normal programming and issue an on-air apology.
The station apologised to the king and listeners for “any distress caused,” while expressing hope that it would continue broadcasting the monarch’s annual Christmas message for many years.
The statement did not specify how long the false report remained on air before being corrected. However, playback recordings for part of Tuesday afternoon’s transmission were unavailable on the station’s website on Wednesday.
The incident occurred while King Charles and Queen Camilla were visiting Northern Ireland, where they attended public engagements and joined a local folk group during a musical performance.
British media reported that the error sparked confusion among some listeners on social media before the station clarified that the announcement had been made accidentally and that the king was alive and continuing his official engagements.