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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
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| Royal baby hoax call leaves Duchess's hospital unamused | Royal baby hoax call leaves Duchess's hospital unamused |
| (8 days later) | |
| The royal family's favoured hospital has apologised after its staff were fooled by an implausible impersonation of the Queen into divulging intimate details of the Duchess of Cambridge's medical condition to hoax callers from an Australian radio station. | The royal family's favoured hospital has apologised after its staff were fooled by an implausible impersonation of the Queen into divulging intimate details of the Duchess of Cambridge's medical condition to hoax callers from an Australian radio station. |
| The King Edward VII private hospital in Marylebone, central London, where the duchess is being treated for acute morning sickness, said it "deeply regrets" what it described as "a foolish prank call that we all deplore". | The King Edward VII private hospital in Marylebone, central London, where the duchess is being treated for acute morning sickness, said it "deeply regrets" what it described as "a foolish prank call that we all deplore". |
| Two DJs from Sydney's 2Day FM Summer 30 show Googled the hospital's number and rang in the early hours of Tuesday morning, posing as the Queen and the Prince of Wales. | Two DJs from Sydney's 2Day FM Summer 30 show Googled the hospital's number and rang in the early hours of Tuesday morning, posing as the Queen and the Prince of Wales. |
| While two colleagues yapped like corgis, presenters Mel Greig, as a Queen with a thinly disguised Australian twang, and Michael Christian, as a particularly guttural Prince Charles, managed to speak to the duchess's duty nurse. | While two colleagues yapped like corgis, presenters Mel Greig, as a Queen with a thinly disguised Australian twang, and Michael Christian, as a particularly guttural Prince Charles, managed to speak to the duchess's duty nurse. |
| During a surreal two-minute call, with "Charles" shouting "mummy, mummy" and "the corgis" barking audibly, a flustered nurse updated them on the duchess's condition. Alarm bells failed to ring even when "the Queen" asked when was the best time to visit "because I'm the Queen so I need a lift down there," before barking at Charles, "when are you going to walk those bloody corgis?" | During a surreal two-minute call, with "Charles" shouting "mummy, mummy" and "the corgis" barking audibly, a flustered nurse updated them on the duchess's condition. Alarm bells failed to ring even when "the Queen" asked when was the best time to visit "because I'm the Queen so I need a lift down there," before barking at Charles, "when are you going to walk those bloody corgis?" |
| As the Twittersphere reacted with incredulity and outrage in equal measure to the hoax, the presenters offered their "sincere apologies" but admitted they were surprised they had got through to the nurse because of their "terrible accents". | As the Twittersphere reacted with incredulity and outrage in equal measure to the hoax, the presenters offered their "sincere apologies" but admitted they were surprised they had got through to the nurse because of their "terrible accents". |
| Even as the duo dialled the number on air, and Greig heard herself being put through to the duchess's private ward, Christian tells listeners "if this has worked, it's the easiest prank call we've ever made," before telling his co-presenter "your accent sucks, by the way, I just want you to know." | Even as the duo dialled the number on air, and Greig heard herself being put through to the duchess's private ward, Christian tells listeners "if this has worked, it's the easiest prank call we've ever made," before telling his co-presenter "your accent sucks, by the way, I just want you to know." |
| The hospital's embarrassment is compounded by its longstanding close relationship with the royal family, who have favoured it for years. Royal portraits adorn its corridors, and the Queen has been both in-patient and visitor on several occasions. It has served as backdrop for many royal dramas, including the late Queen Mother's lodged fishbone, the Queen's knee-op and the Duke of Edinburgh's bladder infection. | The hospital's embarrassment is compounded by its longstanding close relationship with the royal family, who have favoured it for years. Royal portraits adorn its corridors, and the Queen has been both in-patient and visitor on several occasions. It has served as backdrop for many royal dramas, including the late Queen Mother's lodged fishbone, the Queen's knee-op and the Duke of Edinburgh's bladder infection. |
| It said in a statement: "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. 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." | It said in a statement: "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. 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, 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." | John Lofthouse, chief executive, 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." |
| He later filmed a video message in which he said: "Our nurses are caring and professional, and not used to coping with this sort of journalistic trickery." | He later filmed a video message in which he said: "Our nurses are caring and professional, and not used to coping with this sort of journalistic trickery." |
| Admitting that "technically it is a breach of patient confidentiality", he maintained that the information given in the hoax call was "already in the public domain". | Admitting that "technically it is a breach of patient confidentiality", he maintained that the information given in the hoax call was "already in the public domain". |
| "I've received advice that what the Australian broadcasters did may well have broken the law. On the other hand they've apologised for it so we're going to have a long and careful think about what, if anything, we do," Lofthouse said. | "I've received advice that what the Australian broadcasters did may well have broken the law. On the other hand they've apologised for it so we're going to have a long and careful think about what, if anything, we do," Lofthouse said. |
| A spokesman for the royal couple said they would not be making a comment. Prince William visited his wife on Wednesday on her third day in the hospital, where she is receiving treatment for hyperemesis gravidarum, a severe form of morning sickness. Her younger siblings Pippa, 29, and James, 25, also visited, and it is understood her parents, Carole and Michael Middleton, visited on Tuesday night. | A spokesman for the royal couple said they would not be making a comment. Prince William visited his wife on Wednesday on her third day in the hospital, where she is receiving treatment for hyperemesis gravidarum, a severe form of morning sickness. Her younger siblings Pippa, 29, and James, 25, also visited, and it is understood her parents, Carole and Michael Middleton, visited on Tuesday night. |
| Outside the hospital, journalist Brett Mason, the Europe correspondent for Network Ten Australia, who was sent to the hospital to cover the story, said the reaction in Australia was one of shock. | Outside the hospital, journalist Brett Mason, the Europe correspondent for Network Ten Australia, who was sent to the hospital to cover the story, said the reaction in Australia was one of shock. |
| "It's quite extraordinary that two particularly bad royal family impersonators with distinctly Australian accents have been put through. I think we're probably having a bit more of a chuckle than our British comrades, who are still trying to see the funny side. | "It's quite extraordinary that two particularly bad royal family impersonators with distinctly Australian accents have been put through. I think we're probably having a bit more of a chuckle than our British comrades, who are still trying to see the funny side. |
| "But we also get the seriousness of it and given the timing of Leveson it's probably gone down like a lead balloon over here," he said. | "But we also get the seriousness of it and given the timing of Leveson it's probably gone down like a lead balloon over here," he said. |
| The prank call was, reportedly, pre-recorded and vetted by lawyers before being broadcast in Sydney. | The prank call was, reportedly, pre-recorded and vetted by lawyers before being broadcast in Sydney. |
| It begins with Greig asking the hospital switchboard operator: "Oh hello there, could I please speak to Kate please, my granddaughter?" to be told: "Oh yes. Just hold on, ma'am", before being put through. | It begins with Greig asking the hospital switchboard operator: "Oh hello there, could I please speak to Kate please, my granddaughter?" to be told: "Oh yes. Just hold on, ma'am", before being put through. |
| The presenter is then given details about the duchess's condition by the nurse, and replies: "OK. I'll just feed my little corgis then," as pretend barking can be heard in the background, while Christian – aka Charles – shouts "mummy mummy!" | The presenter is then given details about the duchess's condition by the nurse, and replies: "OK. I'll just feed my little corgis then," as pretend barking can be heard in the background, while Christian – aka Charles – shouts "mummy mummy!" |
| At one point Christian asks "is Wills still there, or has he gone home? I haven't spoken to him yet." The nurse informs him Prince William left at around 9pm – although in fact he left at 6pm – and suggests the Queen visits after 9am. | At one point Christian asks "is Wills still there, or has he gone home? I haven't spoken to him yet." The nurse informs him Prince William left at around 9pm – although in fact he left at 6pm – and suggests the Queen visits after 9am. |
| The nurse discusses the difficulty of the duchess sleeping in a "strange bed" to which Greig agrees: "It's nothing like the palace, is it Charles? When are you going to walk those bloody corgis?" | The nurse discusses the difficulty of the duchess sleeping in a "strange bed" to which Greig agrees: "It's nothing like the palace, is it Charles? When are you going to walk those bloody corgis?" |
| "Mumsy, I'll go and take the dogs outside," says Christian, before the two thank the nurse and hang up. | "Mumsy, I'll go and take the dogs outside," says Christian, before the two thank the nurse and hang up. |
| "She was giving us real information," marvelled Greig after the call ended. | "She was giving us real information," marvelled Greig after the call ended. |
| The station said: "2Day FM sincerely apologises for any inconvenience caused by the inquiries to Kate's hospital. 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 station said: "2Day FM sincerely apologises for any inconvenience caused by the inquiries to Kate's hospital. 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." |
| It is not the first time a member of the royal family has been the subject of a prank call. In 1995 a Canadian DJ pretending to be Canada's then prime minister, Jean Chrétien, was put through to the Queen and spoke for around 15 minutes, during which he asked her to record a speech in support of Canadian unity before a referendum in Quebec. | It is not the first time a member of the royal family has been the subject of a prank call. In 1995 a Canadian DJ pretending to be Canada's then prime minister, Jean Chrétien, was put through to the Queen and spoke for around 15 minutes, during which he asked her to record a speech in support of Canadian unity before a referendum in Quebec. |
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