Rita Ora Apologizes for 30th Birthday Party Amid Lockdown, Pays $12k Fine

Rita Ora couldn't resist flouting coronavirus lockdown restrictions in England to celebrate her birthday, but it's her party ... and now she's gonna pay for it, whether she wants to or not.

The British singer says she's "deeply sorry for breaking the rules" and understands it put people at risk ... and calls her 30th birthday bash over the weekend a "serious and inexcusable error of judgement."

The event reportedly went down Saturday at the Casa Cruz restaurant in West London, and Rita admits it was held "with the misguided view that we were coming out of lockdown and this would be OK."

That's not the case, and according to Daily Mail, Rita's already voluntarily paid a hefty fine of 10,000 pounds ... about $12k!

It appears that might not be the end of her trouble though, because police paid a visit to Rita's home Monday to seemingly further investigate the matter.

Ora claims the party was a "small gathering," but it's reported as many as 30 people may have been there. In England, all pubs and restaurants are supposed to be closed other than take-out, and people aren't supposed to be gathering indoors with people outside of their homes or support bubbles.