Radio station mistakenly announces King’s death
A UK radio station has been forced to apologise after it mistakenly announced the King had died.
Source: The Royal Family
The red-faced manager of a British radio station has apologised after it mistakenly announced the death of the King.
Essex-based Radio Caroline blamed Tuesday’s clanger on a “computer error”.
It followed the station, which broadcasts across the south of England and the Midlands making the announcement and then playing God Save the King.
Listeners reporting the regular broadcast abruptly stopped before hosts said that normal programming had been suspended. Then there was radio silence for 15 minutes.
“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 HRH the King had passed away,” station manager Peter Moore wrote on Facebook.
“Radio Caroline then fell silent as would be required, which alerted us to restore programming and issue an on-air apology.
“Caroline has been pleased to broadcast Her Majesty the Queen’s, and now the King’s, Christmas Message and we hope to do so for many years to come.”
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The playback for Tuesday’s broadcast from 1.58-5pm was unavailable on the station’s website as of Wednesday.
Established in 1964, Radio Caroline is a former pirate radio station based in Maldon, according to its website and social media.
“We apologise to HM the King and to our listeners for any distress caused,” it said.
Listeners reported their initial shock at the unexpected news.
“It was a shock, but after telling my wife and neighbours I realised it was a mistake – and perhaps it was the relief, but then the laughter set in,” one wrote.
Another said he heard the grim news while working in his garage.
“I dashed indoors shouting to the missus ‘He’s dead! Charlie is bloody dead!’. She looked puzzled and said ‘Well he was just at the flower show yesterday’,” they wrote.
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“After much perusal of news websites we concluded that perhaps I should lay off the sauce for a while.”
In fact, the monarch is hale and hearty and touring Northern Ireland with the Queen.
On Wednesday, a seagull delivered a lasting impression from above, hitting the King’s suit jacket and splattering others around him.
“It’s well it didn’t land on my head,” the King quipped, according to Irene Marting, who witnessed the incident and met the composed monarch shortly afterward.
“Being hit by a seagull, it’s supposed to be good luck,” Marting said.
“We’re so thrilled he’s come to Northern Ireland to see us and it’s really nice to see him in Newcastle.”
The royals were visiting the south-east coastal town on the second day of a three-day visit.
The Queen was spared the spectacle because she was otherwise engaged at Royal Hillsborough, where she tried her hand at pouring a pint of Guinness at a pub.
She joked she was “not quite the expert but my husband is” while pouring the pint.
The King seemed to foreshadow his fate earlier on Wednesday during a visit to a food pantry when he picked up a roll of toilet paper and said, “very important”.
-with AAP
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