Radio Caroline Apologizes After False King Charles Death Announcement

A British radio station has apologized after a technical error triggered a false announcement of King Charles III’s death during a broadcast on Tuesday. The incident occurred at Radio Caroline, a former pirate station now based in Maldon, Essex, which transmits to parts of the Midlands and South England.

Station Manager Peter Moore stated that a computer error at the main studio accidentally activated the station’s “Death of a Monarch” procedure, a contingency plan all UK broadcasters hold in readiness. This led to an on-air announcement that the King had died, followed by the playing of the national anthem and a period of silence, as the protocol requires. Moore said the silence alerted staff to the problem, allowing them to restore regular programming and issue an on-air apology approximately 15 minutes later.

In a social media statement, Moore expressed regret for any distress caused to the King and to listeners. He noted that Radio Caroline has historically broadcast the monarch’s traditional Christmas message and hopes to continue doing so. The station described the cause as a systems malfunction but did not provide further technical details. Normal programming was...