A rogue tweet by a BBC journalist after a rehearsal for royal deaths on Wednesday sparked frenzied rumours on the social media that Queen Elizabeth II had died, forcing the corporation to issue an embarrassing apology.
Ahmen Khawaja, a reporter for BBC Urdu, sent out a tweet saying: “Queen Elizabrth [sic] has died.”
Another tweet from the account of Khawaja said: “BREAKING: Queen Elizabeth is being treated at King Edward 7th Hospital in london. Statement due shortly: @BBCWorld.”
The incident happened during one of the corporation’s regular rehearsals for broadcasting the British monarch’s obituary, which BBC bosses had asked staff to keep off social media.
Khawaja later deleted the original tweet and called it a false alarm. “False alarm to Queen’s death! She is being treated at King Edward 7th Hospital,” she tweeted.