A British radio station has issued an apology after mistakenly broadcasting that King Charles III had died, attributing the error to a computer glitch. The incident, reported by The Guardian, occurred on Tuesday afternoon when Radio Caroline, a historic broadcaster based in Essex, accidentally aired the false announcement.
The station's internal 'Death of a Monarch' protocol was inadvertently triggered at its main studio, leading to the erroneous report that the King had passed away. Following the broadcast, Radio Caroline briefly went off air before resuming normal programming.
Station manager Peter Moore explained the mishap in a Facebook post. '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 wrote. 'Radio Caroline then fell silent as would be required, which alerted us to restore programming and issue an on-air apology.' He added: 'We apologise to HM the King and to our listeners for any distress caused.'
Incident During Royal Visit
The false announcement coincided with King Charles and Queen Camilla's visit to Northern Ireland, where they attended events in Belfast's Titanic Quarter. The royal couple was engaged in official engagements at the time of the error.
Radio Caroline's History
Founded in 1964, Radio Caroline gained fame as one of Britain's most renowned pirate radio stations, originally broadcasting from ships anchored off the English coast. Despite the introduction of anti-pirate broadcasting laws in 1967, the station continued intermittently and later became a significant part of British radio history. Its legacy inspired films such as 'The Boat That Rocked.'
The station's management emphasized that the error was purely technical and expressed regret for any confusion or concern caused to listeners. The incident highlights the importance of robust safeguards for sensitive emergency protocols in broadcasting.
