Jacintha Saldanha, Nurse duped by prank phone call about Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge

British nurse Jacintha Saldanha found dead in suspected suicide two days after she was tricked into revealing condition information about pregnant Kate Middleton to Australian shock jocks.

Police officers walked outside King Edward VII Hospital on Friday, a day after Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge, was discharged

Saldanha's lifeless body was found the same week she accidentally put prank callers Mel Greig and Michael Christian through to another nurse, who divulged private information about the Duchess of Cambridge. The prank call to the King Edward VII’s Hospital employee infuriated Buckingham Palace and led to taunting tweets from DJs that brag about the trick.

One of the hospital nurses punked by two prank-calling shock jocks into divulging details about Kate Middleton’s pregnancy — igniting fury in the Buckingham Palace — is dead after a suspected suicide. 


Jacintha Saldanha's body was found Friday morning just yards away from King Edward VII Hospital, where the Duchess of Cambridge was recently treated for extreme morning sickness, British media reported.


The married mother of two was pronounced dead at the scene. Authorities are investigating how Saldanha died, but at least one source suggested suicide. 

 Her death comes two days after a hoax in which she was duped into revealing personal details about Kate’s hospital stay by Australian radio hosts Mel Greig and Michael Christian. Greig, pretending to be Prince Charles, and Christian, posing as Queen Elizabeth, called the private London hospital inquiring about Kate. Fooled by their accents, the receptionist transferred the tricksters to another nurse, who divulged that the mom-to-be was “stable at the moment” after “retching” from a nasty case of hyperemesis gravidarum.

Mel Greig and Michael Christian, right, from Sydney's 2Day FM duped staffers at Kate Middleton's hospital using hackneyed impressions of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Charles.

The stunt was heard worldwide and Kate’s family was reportedly infuriated by the “shocking breach of security.”

Before news of Saldanha’s death, at least one royal saw humor in the prank — Prince Charles.

“How do you know I’m not a radio station?” he joked to reporters who asked him about the Duchess’ pregnancy.

The prince went on to say he’s “thrilled” to be expecting a grandchild. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are "deeply saddened" by Saldanha's death, they said in a statement to BBC News. After boasting about the prank on Twitter, accounts for Greig and Christian, hosts of the 2 Day FM show in Sydney, have since been deleted.

The radio station has not yet returned the Daily News’ request for comment.

The hospital said its “telephone protocols are now being reviewed.” On Friday, hospital officials held a press conference, where the chief executive John Lofthouse described Saldanha as a "first-class nurse" and a "much-loved and valued colleague." “Our thoughts and deepest sympathies at this time are with her family and friends," Lofthouse said. "Everyone is shocked by the loss of a much loved and valued colleague.”

Kate Middleton was released from the hospital Thursday. A day later a nurse who was duped into helping to reveal information about the Duchess' condition was found dead in a suspected suicide

The hospital also released a statement.

"It is with very deep sadness that we confirm the tragic death of a member of our nursing staff, Jacintha Saldanha," the statement read. "Jacintha has worked at the King Edward VII’s Hospital for more than four years. She was an excellent nurse and well-respected and popular with all of her colleagues.

"We can confirm that Jacintha was recently the victim of a hoax call to the hospital. The hospital had been supporting her throughout this difficult time."