King Charles III was very much alive on a recent Tuesday, watching dancers and sampling Irish whiskey in Belfast with Queen Camilla. But for roughly three hours that afternoon, listeners of Radio Caroline heard something entirely different: that the monarch had died.
The 77-year-old king was carrying out a packed schedule in Northern Ireland when the false announcement aired. He had greeted the Northern Irish first minister and her deputy, observed a robotics demonstration at W5 Life, a STEM-focused workshop, and later attended a celebration for Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann in Belfast’s Titanic Quarter.
Meanwhile, the 78-year-old Queen Camilla spent the afternoon with children at Fane Street Primary School before joining her husband for a performance with a folk group and to watch dancers.
How the Error Unfolded on Air
Station manager Peter Moore blamed a computer error at Radio Caroline’s main studio in Maldon, Essex, for triggering the station’s Death of a Monarch procedure. The automated protocol, which all UK stations maintain in readiness, was accidentally activated after the station played “What’s Up” by 4 Non Blondes.
“We have suspended our normal program until further notice as a mark of respect for His Majesty King Charles III,” the automated message intoned. “This is Radio Caroline. His Majesty King Charles III has passed away. As a sign of respect, we will now be playing appropriate continuous music until further notice.”
The national anthem, “God Save the King,” followed before the station went silent, as the Death of a Monarch procedure dictates. That silence ultimately alerted staff that something had gone wrong. Playback for the station’s Tuesday broadcast was later unavailable on its website, though Moore did not specify exactly how long the false bulletin remained on air before staff intervened to restore normal programming and issue an on-air apology.
By Wednesday, Moore had issued a public apology on Facebook, stating: “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, mistakenly announcing that HM the King had passed away.” He added: “Caroline has been pleased to broadcast Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s, and now the King’s Christmas Message and we hope to do so for many years to come. We apologize to HM the King and to our listeners for any distress caused.”
A Pirate Broadcaster With Royal Ties
Radio Caroline occupies an unusual place in British broadcasting history. Founded in 1964 by Ronan O’Rahilly and Allan Crawford to compete with the BBC, the station spent much of its early life as a pirate radio operation, broadcasting from offshore vessels outside any national jurisdiction. It was never technically illegal — until the Marine, &c, Broadcasting (Offences) Act 1967 made it illegal for a British subject to associate with it.
Now operating legally as Radio Caroline International, the broadcaster has built a reputation as a fixture of British radio culture and has been entrusted to broadcast the monarch’s Christmas message — first under Queen Elizabeth II until her passing in September 2022, and now under King Charles III.
Sensitivity Around the King’s Health
Audio of the false bulletin spread across social media within hours, prompting concern among listeners before the palace and the king’s own public appearances in Belfast confirmed he was unharmed. The accidental announcement landed with particular weight given Charles’ ongoing cancer diagnosis, which the palace first disclosed in February 2024.
The palace has emphasized throughout his treatment that early detection has enabled the king to maintain a full schedule of official duties. That context made any premature death announcement especially fraught.
The Death of a Monarch procedure that misfired is a contingency every major UK broadcaster maintains in standby. It is meant to be activated once, solemnly, when the moment finally arrives. Radio Caroline’s automation got there first — by, the station hopes, many years.