Shocking ‘King Had Passed Away’ Announcement Leaves Royal Fans in ‘Distress’ After Charles’ Cancer Diagnosis
On Tuesday, May 19, 2026, a false report of King Charles’ death was broadcast live on the U.K. radio station Radio Caroline.
According to The Telegraph, a song was interrupted by a pre-recorded message: “This is Radio Caroline. We have suspended our normal programmes until further notice as a mark of formal respect following the passing of His Majesty King Charles III.”
“This is Radio Caroline. His Majesty King Charles III has passed away. As a mark of respect we will now be playing suitable continuous music until further notice,” the message said. “The news media has confirmed that his Majesty King Charles III has passed away. Consequently, as a mark of respect Radio Caroline is suspending its normal programmes.”
The British national anthem was played shortly after.
Radio Caroline has since apologized for the horrific mistake, claiming a “computer error” at its main studio triggered the message live on air.
“Due to a computer error at our main studio, the Death of a Monarch procedure, which all U.K. stations hold in readiness while hoping not to require, was accidentally activated on Tuesday afternoon (May 19), mistakenly announcing that HM the King had passed away,” station manager Peter Moore said in a Facebook post.
He continued, “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.”
“We apologize to HM the King and to our listeners for any distress caused,” Moore added.
Many listeners quickly flooded the Facebook post’s comment section, sharing their immediate reactions to the announcement. “I heard this on my car stereo yesterday as I was just leaving work and for a moment I had to ask myself whether it was true or just a sick joke,” one person wrote. “Thankfully it was neither but instead a simple technical error.”
Another commented, “It did give me a bit of a shock, but I accept these mistakes can happen and was glad to find out it wasn’t true x.”
“Sh*t happens, but I bet it made a few stop in their tracks, especially as Charles is not in the best of health,” a third Facebook user noted.
Charles disclosed his cancer diagnosis in February 2024 but has kept most details private, including the specific type of cancer. However, on Dec. 12, 2025, Charles revealed that his cancer treatment will be “reduced” in 2026.
“This milestone is both a personal blessing and a testimony to the remarkable advances that have been made in cancer care in recent years; testimony that I hope may give encouragement to the fifty percent of us who will be diagnosed with the illness at some point in our lives,” he said during Channel 4’s Stand Up to Cancer broadcast.
In May 2026, RadarOnline reported that since being diagnosed with cancer, Charles has become even more strict about his diet and lifestyle.
“What was once a strong interest has evolved into something far more hands-on—he’s now deeply involved in where his food comes from, paying close attention to how it’s grown, and showing a near-fixation on keeping everything as natural and unprocessed as possible,” a source told the outlet. “He has basically become a garden forager, picking a lot of what goes on his plate for his chefs.”
The insider added, “It’s not being presented as a medical solution, but more as a complementary approach—doing everything within his control to optimize his wellbeing while he undergoes care. … In his mind, this connection to natural produce is about giving himself the best possible chance—it’s not being framed publicly as a ‘cure,’ but privately there’s a belief that it can support his overall health during treatment.”
