© 2025 Western New York Public Broadcasting Association

140 Lower Terrace
Buffalo, NY 14202

Toronto Address:
130 Queens Quay E.
Suite 903
Toronto, ON M5A 0P6


Mailing Address:
Horizons Plaza P.O. Box 1263
Buffalo, NY 14240-1263

Buffalo Toronto Public Media | Phone 716-845-7000
BTPM NPR Newsroom | Phone: 716-845-7040
Differing shades of blue wavering throughout the image
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

British Pirate Radio Broadcaster Dies At 91

RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST:

Good morning. I'm Renee Montagne. Starting a pirate radio station and declaring your own nation, it's the sort of thing people did in the '60s. In 1967, Roy Bates made himself prince of Sealand, an old British fort on a platform off the coast of England. Never mind it was the size of a McMansion. Prince Roy ruled Sealand for four decades. In that time he fought off others who claimed it, even confronting the Royal Navy. Roy Bates died this week at 91, not from boredom. It's MORNING EDITION. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.

NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.