British Radio Station Apologises After Accidentally Announcing King Charles III’s Death

A former British pirate radio station has apologised after mistakenly announcing the death of King Charles III, blaming the incident on a technical error that triggered emergency broadcast protocols.

Radio Caroline said the incorrect announcement was aired on Tuesday afternoon due to a computer malfunction at its main studio in Maldon, Essex.

In a statement shared on social media, station manager Peter Moore said the error activated the pre-prepared procedure UK broadcasters keep in place for the death of a reigning monarch.

“The so-called death of a monarch procedure, which all UK stations hold in readiness while hoping not to require, was triggered,” Moore explained.

Following the announcement, the station reportedly went silent, in line with

expected protocol after the death of a monarch, before staff realised the mistake, restored normal programming and issued an on-air apology.

“We apologise to His Majesty the King and to our listeners for any distress caused,” Moore said, adding that Radio Caroline had previously broadcast Christmas messages from both Queen Elizabeth II and King Charles III, and hoped to continue doing so in future.

The accidental announcement came while King Charles III and Queen Camilla were visiting Northern Ireland, where they attended a performance featuring an Irish folk music group.

The station did not specify how long the incorrect information remained uncorrected. However, Britain’s Press Association reported that archived playback for a portion of Tuesday’s broadcast was unavailable on the station’s website.

Founded in 1964, Radio Caroline became famous for challenging the BBC’s broadcasting dominance by operating from ships stationed off the British coast. Despite legislation introduced in 1967 targeting pirate broadcasters, the station continued intermittently before ending offshore transmissions in 1990.

Radio Caroline later inspired aspects of the 2009 film The Boat That Rocked, which portrayed the lives of unconventional DJs broadcasting from ships at sea.