UK radio station Radio Caroline mistakenly declared King Charles III dead in a shocking on-air blunder that left listeners stunned before the station suddenly went silent. Regular programming abruptly stopped on Tuesday, May 19, as presenters announced that normal broadcasts had been suspended following the death of the 77-year-old monarch.
False Announcement and Silence
The broadcast stated: "This is Radio Caroline. We have suspended our normal programs until further notice as a mark of respect following the passing of His Majesty King Charles III." It added: "His Majesty King Charles III has passed away. As a mark of respect, we will play continuous, suitable music until further notice." The national anthem "God Save the King" then played before the station fell silent for approximately 15 minutes.
Station Manager Apologizes
Station manager Peter Moore later apologized, attributing the mistake to a computer error. In a Facebook statement, he explained: "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 (May 19), mistakenly announcing that HM the King had passed away. Radio Caroline then fell silent as would be required, which alerted us to restore programming and issue an on-air apology." He added: "We apologize to HM the King and to our listeners for any distress caused."
Listener Reactions
The false report sparked confusion among listeners, who took to social media to share their shock. One listener wrote: "I dashed indoors shouting to the missus 'He's dead! Charlie is dead!' She looked puzzled." Another said: "I heard this on my car stereo as I was just leaving work and for a moment I had to ask myself whether it was true or just a sick joke." A third commented: "It did give me a bit of a shock, but I accept these mistakes can happen and was glad to find out it wasn't true."
The station did not specify how long the false report remained on air before staff intervened. British broadcasters are required to maintain detailed procedures for the death of a reigning monarch, including pre-prepared announcements and programming changes. The mix-up occurred while King Charles and Queen Camilla were carrying out public engagements in Northern Ireland.
