A British radio station has apologized for mistakenly announcing the death of King Charles, who was visiting Northern Ireland with his wife, Queen Camilla.
Radio Caroline, which is based in Essex, said it triggered its pre-prepared “Death of a Monarch” emergency protocol due to a studio computer error.
The radio station interrupted normal programming and broadcast an announcement that King Charles had died.
The station then played “God Save the King” and went off air (silent) for approximately 15–16 minutes.
The radio station said, “Due to a computer error in our main studio, the Death of a Monarch process… was accidentally activated… erroneously announcing that HRH the King has passed away. We apologize for any distress caused to the King and our listeners.”
The day after the radio station announced his death, a seagull dropped a surprise from above, which hit King’s suit jacket and scattered it on others around him, including members of the press.
According to Irene Marting, who witnessed the incident and met the sober King shortly afterward, King quipped, “It’s a good thing it didn’t get on my head.”
“It’s considered good luck to be killed by a seagull,” Marting said. “We are thrilled that he has come to Northern Ireland to visit us and it is really good to see him in Newcastle.”
Charles was visiting the south-eastern coastal city on the second day of a three-day visit with Queen Camilla. The Queen was spared the spectacle as she was on a separate visit to Royal Hillsborough, where she tried her hand at pouring a pint of Guinness in a pub.
According to the Associated Press, “King had a foreshadowing of his fate during a visit to a food pantry earlier in the day, when he picked up a roll of toilet paper and said, “Very important.”
