A British radio station scrambled to apologize after falsely reporting on the death of King Charles III, the result of an apparent “computer error.”
On Tuesday, Radio Caroline, based in Essex, England, suddenly ceased playing “What’s Up” by 4 Non Blondes and switched to a prerecorded message. The message said the station was suspending all scheduled programming, as a “mark of formal respect following the passing of His Majesty King Charles III.”
“This is Radio Caroline. His Majesty King Charles III has passed away,” the announcer reiterated. “As a mark of respect, we will now be playing suitable continuous music until further notice … The news media has confirmed that His Majesty King Charles III has passed away.”
The British national anthem was then played, followed by silence.
It’s unclear how long the radio station went silent before the error was corrected. The station apparently scrubbed the playback for the affected period. The following day, station manager Peter Moore released a statement on social media the next day, apologizing “for any distress caused” to the king or listeners.
Moore explained that a “computer error” had mistakenly activated the station’s death of a monarch procedure, which all U.K. radio stations “hold in readiness while hoping not to require.”
“Radio Caroline then fell silent as would be required, which alerted us to restore programming and issue an on-air apology,” he said. “Caroline has been pleased to broadcast Her Majesty the Queen’s, and now the King’s, Christmas message, and we hope to do so for many years to come.”
Charles, 77, revealed his cancer diagnosis in 2024, which has become the primary health concern for the king. However, he announced in December the “good news” that an early diagnosis and “effective intervention” mean he can reduce his cancer treatment this year.
“This milestone is both a personal blessing and a testimony to the remarkable advances that have been made in cancer care,” Charles said.
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His most recent health update came earlier this month, when he told a guest, “I’m OK, I totter along.”
Radio Caroline’s announcement of the king’s supposed death came as he and Queen Camilla made a surprise visit to Northern Ireland.
