News Funny fails

A one-letter typo sent this obituary into the facepalm hall of fame

Oonagh Keating. Updated June 3rd, 2024

We feel quite bad for laughing at this meaning-altering typo in the obituary of art expert and journalist Bruce Arnold, who died at the beginning of May at the age of 87, but it’s a spectacular one.

Here’s a closer look.

A proud Briton who never took Irish citizenship, Arnold was appointed OBE in 2003 for services to journalism and Anglo-Irish relations. At his investiture and with typical boldness he asked Elizabeth II: "When are you going to come to Ireland ma'am?" She gave him just a hint of an enigmatic smile as if to say "in my own sweet time". He was overjoyed when she finally died in 2011.

Once more for those at the back.

The same image but with the typo 'died' (instead of 'did') underlined in red.

Well, that’s awkward. Some people agreed that The Times had kind of brought it on themselves.

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Sarah Knapton suggested a very plausible explanation.

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You surely won’t read a more entertaining start to an obituary than this from The Times

Source Keith Hann Image Keith Hann, benzoix on Freepik