An Australian radio DJ who performed a practical prank on Kate Middleton while she was pregnant has spoken out about the event, revealing she has struggled with “suicidal thoughts” ever since.
Remember that Kate was hospitalized at King Edward VII Hospital in London in December 2012, while she was pregnant with Prince George. Mel Greig, who worked at 2Day FM in Sydney at the time, and co-host Mike Christian called the hospital “to see how quickly we could get hung up on.”
They were “immediately transferred to the Duchess’s (of Cambridge’s) private nurse,” much to the surprise of the hosts. During the call, the two pretended to be the Queen and Prince Charles, tricking nurse Jacintha Saldanha into passing their call on to a colleague, who subsequently exposed crucial information about Kate’s condition.
The radio show’s joking call went viral, but Saldanha committed himself a few days later, blaming the Australian DJs in her suicide note.
A coroner’s investigation into the nurse’s death two years later ruled in 2014 that her suicide could only be partially attributed to the stress caused by the practical joke, as well as troubles she was having at work with a coworker.
“Please accept my sympathy for your loss. “I’ve been meaning to tell you that for a long time.” Greig spoke with Saldanha’s family at the coroner’s hearing.
Greig has spoken out ten years after the tragic occurrence about the “unbearable” regret she felt in the aftermath of the 46-year-suicide.
“A family lost their wife and mother, and to be accused of having a hand in taking her life was beyond devastating,” she told Australia’s Special Broadcasting Service (SBS).
“Online trolls warned me that if I didn’t dedicate myself every day, I wouldn’t be able to find work.” Charities didn’t even let me pack envelopes behind the scenes. “I was broken and exhausted,” Greig added.
The ex-host went on to add that as a result of her notoriety as the “Royal Prank DJ,” she lost friends, jobs, prospects, and her identity, leaving her plagued by “suicidal thoughts.”
