On Thursday afternoon, a post suddenly appeared on X announcing the alleged death of King Charles III. It was published on the account of Rebecca English, the royal editor at the Daily Mail.

The post appeared at around 5:10 p.m. and was deleted shortly afterward. It stated that there were reports of the monarch’s death and that further details were still being verified.

Rebecca English Says Her Account Was Hacked

Just a few minutes after the post appeared, Rebecca English explained what had happened. “My account has been hacked. I’ will be logging out off this account and resetting. Thanks to those who alerted me,” she wrote, according to t-online.

The false report was quickly put into perspective. There was initially no official response from the Royal Family regarding the incident. Instead, the Royal Family continued with its public engagements and regular updates on social media.

The Royal Family Posts a Video of Camilla From Brixton

That evening, the Royal Family posted a video of Queen Camilla on Instagram. In her capacity as president of the Ebony Horse Club, she visited the riding stables at the Youth and Community Equestrian Centre in Brixton.

At the same time, it was announced that King Charles was preparing for additional engagements. The Royal Family announced on Instagram that same day that Sultan Haitham bin Tarik, Sultan of Oman, would meet with the British royal couple during a state visit in October.

Charles Had Previously Given a Speech at the British Museum

Shortly before the announcement of the state visit, the monarch had been seen in public. He gave a speech at the British Museum and appeared to be in high spirits. In his address, he spoke about the close friendship between Britain and France.

The false report on X was therefore quickly contradicted by the king’s continued public schedule. His public appearances and upcoming events continued as planned. The palace’s official channels also gave no indication of a health emergency on Thursday.

Radio Caroline Had Already Reported Incorrectly in May

It was not the first incident of its kind this year. On May 19, the British radio station Radio Caroline mistakenly broadcast a pre-recorded obituary for the king. Several announcements were aired during a program, followed by 16 minutes of silence on DAB+.

About half an hour later, the station issued a correction and an apology. The media regulator Ofcom deemed the incident a serious violation of broadcasting regulations.