Pippa Middleton and her brother James leave after visiting
their sister Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge at the King
Edward VII hospital in London. Two Australian radio hosts
have apologised for making a hoax call to the hospital.
REUTERS/Olivia Harris
Two Australian radio hosts have apologised for making a
hoax call to the London private hospital where Prince William's
pregnant wife Catherine is being treated for acute morning
sickness.
Mel Greig and Michael Christian from 2Day FM posed as the
Queen and Prince Charles during the phone call to King Edward
VII Hospital on Tuesday evening (AEDT) and were put through
to a nurse who gave an update on the Duchess's condition.
"We were very surprised that our call was put through. We
thought we'd be hung up on as soon as they heard our terrible
accents," the broadcasters said in a statement.
"We're very sorry if we've caused any issues and we're glad
to hear that Kate is doing well."
The prank call was pre-recorded and vetted by lawyers before
being broadcast to listeners in Sydney.
"2Day FM sincerely apologises for any inconvenience caused by
the inquiries to Kate's hospital," a station spokeswoman
said.
"The radio segment was done with lighthearted intentions. We
wish Kate and her family all the best and we're glad to hear
she's doing well."
The pair adopt toffy accents for the call, during which the
nurse refers to Greig as "ma'am", while a third member of
2Day FM staff can be heard pretending to bark in an attempt
to impersonate one of the Queen's corgis.
"She's quite stable. She hasn't had any retching and she's
been sleeping on and off," the nurse tells the pranksters
after referring to Greig as ma'am.
A hospital statement released on Wednesday said the incident
has sparked a review of telephone protocol.
"King Edward VII's Hospital Sister Agnes can confirm that an
Australian radio station made a hoax call to the hospital in
the early hours of Tuesday morning," the statement read.
"This call was transferred through to a ward and a short
conversation was held with one of the nursing staff. King
Edward VII's Hospital deeply regrets this incident."
John Lofthouse, chief executive at King Edward VII's
Hospital, said: "This was a foolish prank call that we all
deplore. We take patient confidentiality extremely seriously
and we are now reviewing our telephone protocols."
Catherine was admitted to the facility, favoured by the royal
family, on Monday as the world learnt she was in the early
stages of pregnancy.
She is being treated for acute morning sickness and is
expected to be in hospital for several days, the palace said.
Representatives for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have
not commented on the prank.
The segment of Tuesday evening's radio show can be heard
online by visiting www.youtube.com/watch?v=wa5JQC8VNdw
Greig asks the nurse when she can visit her "granddaughter
Kate" and how her "little tummy bug is going".
"When is a good time to come and visit her coz I'm the Queen
and I need a lift down there ..."
She is then heard to ask Charles (Christian) when he can take
her to the hospital.
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