King Charles Was Falsely Declared Dead After an Extraordinary Radio Mistake
King Charles Was Falsely Declared Dead After an Extraordinary Radio Mistake
Anwaya ManeTue, August 11, 2026 at 8:17 AM UTC
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U.K. radio station Radio Caroline reportedly wrongly announced King Charles’ death reportin May. On August 10, U.K. media regulator The Office of Communications, or Ofcom, explained that the aforementioned radio station had breached two broadcast standards. Notably, King Charles III succeeded his mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II, as monarch in 2022.
Radio Caroline breached Ofcom rules after prerecorded King Charles III death files accidentally went live
U.K. radio station Radio Caroline reportedly falsely declared King Charles’ death, breaching crucial broadcast codes (via PEOPLE). On May 19, Radio Caroline aired three pre-recorded statements stating that the current monarch, King Charles, had passed away.
This announcement aired during The Barry Marsh Show. The Office of Communications, also known as Ofcom, shared that they received two complaints about the reports that interrupted regular music programming.
In their third statement, Radio Caroline said “news media” had confirmed that Charles had died. As per Ofcom’s report, the national anthem was then played before one of the statements was repeated. Next, a 16-minute-long silence followed the shocking announcement.
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Notably, after a brief period of silence, the radio station continued with its regular programming. However, 30 minutes after the statements aired, the host apologized to listeners. The host assured listeners that the previous statements were false and that the King was very much alive.
The host explained that they didn’t hear the statements themselves and attributed the grave error to a “technical issue.”
On August 10, three months after the incident, Ofcom declared that it considered the incident a breach of two rules under the Broadcasting Code. The first code states: “News, in whatever form, must be reported with due accuracy and presented with due impartiality.” The second code explains: “Significant mistakes in news should normally be acknowledged and corrected on air quickly. Corrections should be appropriately scheduled…”
In their defence, Radio Caroline explained that a staffer accessed the three files prepared for King Charles’ death and played the statements out of curiosity. The radio station revealed that these files carry strict instructions for presenters and managers to follow before airing. The staffer also “apologized” and was “reprimanded” for their actions.
The post King Charles Was Falsely Declared Dead After an Extraordinary Radio Mistake appeared first on Mandatory.
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
