A British radio station has apologized after mistakenly announcing the death of King Charles III because of a technical error in its computer system.
According to the station, Radio Caroline accidentally activated its emergency “Death of a Monarch” procedure after a computer malfunction occurred at its main studio. The system wrongly triggered an automated announcement claiming that King Charles III had passed away.
The false broadcast aired on Tuesday afternoon, May 19, causing confusion among listeners. Shortly after the announcement, the radio station went off air temporarily, as required under official emergency broadcasting procedures followed by UK media outlets in the event of a monarch’s death.
In an official statement, Radio Caroline explained that all British radio stations keep such emergency systems ready for national use, although they hope never to activate them. However, due to the unexpected computer error, the procedure was launched accidentally.
The station said the sudden silence after the false announcement alerted staff members that something had gone wrong. Engineers and officials quickly restored normal programming and issued an on-air apology to listeners.
Radio Caroline expressed regret over the incident and apologized directly to King Charles III and the public for any stress or concern caused by the false report.
The station also said it has proudly broadcast Christmas messages from the late Queen Elizabeth II and now from King Charles III, adding that it hopes to continue doing so for many years in the future.
The unusual incident quickly gained attention online, with many social media users expressing surprise over how a technical malfunction could trigger such an important emergency system.
Officials confirmed that King Charles III is alive and well, and the announcement was entirely false. The radio station has not shared further details about the exact technical issue but said steps are being taken to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Read more: King Charles Opens Up With Emotional Garden Photographs
