As the world enjoys another round of April Fool’s Day pranks, it’s a sobering reminder that not all practical jokes end in laughter. In December 2012, what was intended to be a light-hearted hoax by two Australian radio presenters ended in devastating tragedy, when a nurse at a London hospital took her own life after being duped into sharing confidential information about the then-pregnant Duchess of Cambridge.
During her pregnancy with Prince George, Kate Middleton was hospitalised at King Edward VII’s Hospital in London due to severe morning sickness, a condition known as hyperemesis gravidarum. On 4 December 2012, Mel Greig and Michael Christian, presenters at Sydney’s 2Day FM, called the hospital while impersonating the Queen and Prince Charles, asking for an update on the Duchess’s condition. To their surprise, their call was transferred by 46-year-old night nurse Jacintha Saldanha to a colleague, who revealed private medical details. The prank call was later broadcast without consent.
According to ABC News, the DJs even had colleagues bark like royal corgis to complete the…
