A United Kingdom-based radio station has apologised to King Charles III and its listeners after mistakenly announcing the death of the British monarch due to what it described as a technical error.
In a statement shared on social media on Wednesday, Radio Caroline Station Manager Peter Moore explained that the station’s “Death of a Monarch” procedure was accidentally activated on Tuesday, May 19, leading to the false announcement that the King had died.
“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 on Tuesday afternoon, mistakenly announcing that HM the King had passed away,” Moore stated.
He explained that the station immediately went off air in line with official protocol, which later alerted staff to the mistake and prompted them to restore programming and issue an apology.
“Radio Caroline then fell silent as would be required, which alerted us to restore programming and issue an on-air apology,” he added.
The station also expressed regret over the incident and extended apologies to both the King and listeners who may have been distressed by the false report.
“We apologise to HM the King and to our listeners for any distress caused,” the statement concluded.
Radio Caroline, founded in 1964, broadcasts across several countries including Belgium and the Netherlands and is also accessible online worldwide.
At the time of the false announcement, King Charles and Queen Camilla were on an official visit to Belfast in United Kingdom.
According to Buckingham Palace, the royal couple attended cultural events at Thompson Dock, where the Titanic was built, and interacted with organisers preparing for the Irish music festival Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann scheduled for August.
The King also visited a local charity supporting digital skills development, while the couple later met Northern Ireland’s first minister and deputy first minister at Hillsborough Castle.
King Charles, 77, revealed in February 2024 that he had been diagnosed with cancer. However, he later indicated that his treatment had been progressing positively.
