Her Campus Logo Her Campus Logo
Culture > News

Royal Hoax: New Results in Investigation of Nurse Jacintha Saldahna’s Death


Last week, after the happy announcement of Prince William and Kate’s pregnancy, the royal family was saddened with some darker news. Two DJs looking to have some fun called St. James Hospital where Kate was staying, and impersonated Queen Elizabeth and Prince Charles in order to gain private information about Kate’s condition. The first person to answer the phone was Jacintha Saldahna, who put the DJs through to Kate’s personal nurse.

The prank call was aired, bringing worldwide attention the prank, but no one’s laughing now. Just a few days later, Saldahna was found dead. New information released after her autopsy on Tuesday reveals that Saldahna was found hanging in her living quarters at the hospital, CNN reports. She reportedly left notes for her family members, who say that the shame of being involved in a worldwide news scandal would have caused her shame, according to The Daily Mail.

Saldahna left behind her husband and two teenage children, and the tragedy of her death has sparked controversy in the media. Discussions about ethical concerns abound, and the BBC has begun questioning the future of prank calls.

Photo Source: The Daily Mail

Julia is a recent graduate of Johns Hopkins University, where she studied Writing Seminars and Women's Studies. She lives outside of Boston and is a Fall 2012 Editorial Intern at Her Campus. Her favorite activities are writing, drawing, and eating sushi. She also enjoys picking up new hobbies, like photography, and she's trying hard to learn the ukelele!