Queen Elizabeth Is Not Dead, despite BBC’s tweets

A producer for the BBC in the UK got caught up in the rush to beat the press, mistaking a rehearsal for coverage of a royal death for the Queen’s actual demise.

Ahmen Khawaja was quick to jump on twitter saying.

“BREAKING: Queen Elizabeth is being treated at King Edward 7th Hospital in London. Statement due shortly.”

This was quickly followed with.

“Queen Elizabrth (sic) has died”

It’s a good lesson in making sure you stay on top of your emails after it became apparent that the head of BBC Newsgathering, Jonathan Munro, had sent out an email to staff on Wednesday telling staff about the upcoming rehearsal.

In the message, he said it was a “low-key rehearsal for the way in which television might cover a category-one obituary”.

“It’s essential that we can rehearse these sensitive scenarios privately,” said Munro, according to The Guardian in the UK.

“I’d also ask for your help in refraining from any external conversations and all social media activity about this exercise,” he added, which obviously did’t quite get the message across.

Fun Fact, the BBC’s “category-one obituary” is pretty exclusive.

It’s reserved for four senior members of the royal family, namely; the queen, her husband the Duke of Edinburgh, heir-to-the-throne Prince Charles and his son Prince William

Poor old Harry doesn’t even cop an invite.