A former British pirate radio station has apologised after mistakenly announcing the death of King Charles III due to what it described as a computer error.
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According to Radio Caroline, the incorrect announcement was broadcast on Tuesday afternoon from its main studio in Maldon, Essex. The station said the error accidentally triggered the official emergency procedure prepared by UK broadcasters for the death of a monarch.
In a statement shared on social media, station manager Peter Moore explained that the system activated the pre-arranged protocol, causing the station to stop regular programming temporarily.
“Radio Caroline then fell silent as would be required,” Moore said, adding that staff quickly restored broadcasting and issued an on-air apology once they realised the mistake.
The station expressed regret to both the British monarch and listeners for any distress caused by the false announcement. Moore added that Radio Caroline had previously broadcast Christmas messages from Queen Elizabeth II and now King Charles, expressing hope it would continue to do so for many years.
The incident occurred while King Charles and Queen Camilla were on an official visit to Northern Ireland, where they attended a performance by an Irish folk group.
The station did not confirm how long the false report remained on air before being corrected. However, Britain’s Press Association reported that recordings of Tuesday’s afternoon broadcast were unavailable on the station’s website the following day.
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Founded in 1964, Radio Caroline became famous for challenging the BBC broadcasting monopoly by operating from ships anchored off the English coast. Despite legislation introduced in 1967 targeting pirate broadcasters, the station continued intermittent offshore broadcasts until 1990 and remains an iconic name in British radio history.