The Princess of Wales has not been seen since late December 2023 after which it was announced by Kensington Palace that she had undergone a ‘planned abdominal surgery’ at the London Clinic.
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At the same time, the office of the Prince and Princess of Wales announced that she would not be returning to her royal duties until after Easter. This prolonged absence was at first accepted without much fuss but very quickly, and partly due to a picture posted by Kensington Palace on Mother’s Day, led to a frenzy of conspiracy theories about the Princess’ whereabouts.
Starting on 19 March 2024, allegations about staffers trying to access the royal’s medical file started. Though for now the investigation is ongoing, Middleton’s medical records were actually already breached in 2012. A situation which led to a tragic outcome.
Kate Middleton’s medical records were allegedly coveted by staffers
When the claims first started they involved only one member of staff of the London Clinic. That staffer had not been involved in the treatment of the Princess and tried to access her medical file.
According to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) accessing someone’s personal data without their consent is an offence which can lead to prosecution.
On 19 March 2024, The Telegraph reported that the claims had ‘sent shockwaves through the hospital’ which, at the same time, also treated King Charles. Since that first article, it has come to light that not just one but three staffers of the London Clinic are being investigated by the ICO.
The spokesperson for the clinic affirmed that ‘all appropriate disciplinary steps will be taken’ if staffers are found guilty. It should also be noted that the King’s medical data was not breached.
Back in 2012, Kate Middleton’s medical file was breached
In December 2012, Australian radio DJ Melanie Greig and her co-host Michael Christian prank called King Edward VII hospital where Kate Middleton was receiving treatment for acute morning sickness due to pregnancy.
The two Australian radio hosts pretended to be Queen Elizabeth II and then Prince Charles.
It was 5.30 am in the UK and night nurse Jacintha Saldanha transferred the call to the nurse in charge of Middleton. That nurse ended up being tricked in revealing medical information about the then Duchess.
The radio hosts never revealed their true identities and the recorded bit was cleared by the radio station’s lawyer and aired. Then, all hell broke loose for Saldanha who expressed her distress in several emails to colleagues.
In September 2014, while the hoax was being reviewed in court, The Guardian reported that Saldanha believed she should be solely blamed for the breach. The day after the prank call aired, the night nurse wrote:
It's all my fault and I feel very bad about this getting you involved. Please accept my apologies. If there is anything I could do to mend it I would do it myself, but it is all in their [hospital management's] hands.
At the moment in time, with that voice, I couldn't even think of anything else. It's all my fault.
In another email, to her matron she continued to show signs of serious anguish and sent:
I feel very sorry for breaking security, I am ready for any punishment, Please do not hold [the other nurse] responsible for this.
Three days after the call took place, Jacintha Saldanha was found in the hospital’s nurses’ accommodation – she had hung herself and displayed cuts to her wrists.
In court, her husband testified that, prior to that event, his wife had never shown any sign of depression and had never attempted to harm herself.
Read more:
⋙ Kate Middleton spotted with Prince William looking 'happy' and 'healthy'
Sources:
The Telegraph: London Clinic staff ‘tried to access medical notes’ of Princess of Wales
The Telegraph: Three London Clinic staff members under investigation after Princess of Wales security breach
Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO)
The Guardian: Jacintha Saldanha 'took blame' for Duchess of Cambridge prank call
The Telegraph: Tearful DJ apologises for prank call which led to nurse's suicide
