Kate’s receives prank call at hospital

LONDON (AFP) - The British hospital treating Prince William’s pregnant wife Catherine admitted Wednesday it released her private medical details after falling for a hoax call from an Australian radio station.

Presenters from Sydney’s 2Day FM station, posing as Queen Elizabeth II and William’s father Prince Charles, got through to a nurse at private King Edward VII’s Hospital in London, where Kate is being treated for acute morning sickness. The hospital confirmed that a nurse discussed Kate’s condition and said it “deeply regrets” the incident, which happened in the early hours of Tuesday, while the Australian radio station also apologised. The hoax is deeply embarrassing for the hospital, which has also treated the queen, her husband Prince Philip and Charles’ wife Camilla over the years. The queen is its patron.

“This was a foolish prank call that we all deplore,” said the hospital’s chief executive John Lofthouse.

“We take patient confidentiality extremely seriously and we are now reviewing our telephone protocols.”