Kate Middleton Prank: Receptionist Commits Suicide Over Hoax? (VIDEO)
The receptionist who unknowingly transferred a prank call to Kate Middleton's nurse has died in an apparent suicide, according to reports.
The woman, who worked at King Edward VII Hospital where Middleton was recently admitted, was found unconscious at an address near her work place at approximately 9:30 a.m. on Friday. Minutes later she was pronounced dead at the scene, according to Daily Mail.
While London police are so far treating the death as "unexplained," multiple sources claim that the woman allegedly killed herself.
The unidentified woman's death comes just two days after two Australian DJs made the prank call to the hospital where Middleton was admitted Monday after developing hyperemesis gravidarum. The Duchess of Cambridge announced that she and Prince William are expecting their first child on the same day.
2Day FM radio hosts Mel Greig and Michael Christian posed as Queen Elizabeth and Prince Charles during the publicized phone call, and were successful in obtaining personal information about Middleton from her nurse.
During the recorded phone call, which was placed at 5:30 a.m., Greig is heard saying "Oh, hello there. Could I please speak to Kate please, my granddaughter?"
The receptionist assumed that she was speaking with the Queen and replied "oh yes, just hold on ma'am" before transferring the call to Middleton's personal nurse.
"This was a foolish prank call that we all deplore. We take patient confidentiality extremely seriously and we are now reviewing our telephone protocols," John Lofthouse, chief executive at the hospital, said in a statement.
Despite previously describing the prank as "hilarious" via Twitter, 2Day FM eventually tweeted an apology over the bizarre incident.
"2Day FM sincerely apologizes for any inconvenience [caused] by the enquiry to Kate's hospital. The radio segment was done with the best intentions and we wish Kate and her family all the best," a recent tweet read.