Radio Caroline Apologizes for Erroneously Announcing King Charles's Death

The accidental announcement occurred on Tuesday afternoon when a computer error at Radio Caroline's main studio in Maldon, Essex, triggered the 'Death of a Monarch' procedure. This procedure, which all UK stations maintain in readiness, caused the station to fall silent, alerting staff to the error.

Station manager Peter Moore addressed the incident in a Facebook post, apologizing for any distress caused to both King Charles and the station's listeners. He noted that Radio Caroline has historically broadcast the monarch's Christmas message and hopes to continue doing so.

The error occurred while King Charles and Queen Camilla were in Northern Ireland, participating in cultural events. The station's website did not have playback available for the period when the error occurred.

Radio Caroline, established in 1964, gained fame as a pirate radio station operating from ships off the English coast. It played a significant role in challenging the BBC's broadcasting monopoly. Although legislation in 1967 forced many pirate broadcasters to close, Radio Caroline continued intermittently until ceasing offshore broadcasts in 1990. The station's history inspired the 2009 comedy film 'The Boat that Rocked'.

A computer error at the station's main studio triggered the 'Death of a Monarch' procedure.

The station apologized to King Charles and its listeners for any distress caused.

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