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A nurse who took the hoax call at the Duchess of Cambridge’s London hospital has been found dead.

She had been phoned by two Australian radio presenters and believed she was speaking to the Queen.

The woman, named by the hospital today as Jacintha Saldanha, then passed the call to a colleague, who revealed details of Kate's condition.

An ambulance was called to the King Edward VII Hospital in Marylebone this morning after Ms Saldhana was found unconscious on premises nearby.

Paramedics made desperate efforts to revive her but she was pronounced dead at the scene close to the hospital.

She is understood to be the first person heard during the prank call by the hosts from the Australian radio station 2Day FM.

She was at first thought to be a receptionist at the hospital but they confirmed today she was a nurse staffing the switchboard.

She transferred the hoaxers to a second nurse on the Duchess's ward who gave them an update about her condition saying she had had an "uneventful night".

St James's Palace said the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were "deeply saddened to learn of the death of Jacintha Saldanha".

"Their Royal Highnesses were looked after so wonderfully well at all times by everybody at King Edward VII Hospital, and their thoughts and prayers are with Jacintha Saldanha's family, friends and colleagues at this very sad time," a Palace spokesman said.

This afternoon King Edward VII hospital said in a statement: "It is with very deep sadness that we confirm the tragic death of a member of our nursing staff, Jacintha Saldanha.

"Jacintha has worked at the King Edward VII's Hospital for more than four years. She was an excellent nurse and well-respected and popular with all of her colleagues.

"We can confirm that Jacintha was recently the victim of a hoax call to the hospital. The hospital had been supporting her throughout this difficult time."

John Lofthouse, Chief Executive at King Edward VII's Hospital, said: "Our thoughts and deepest sympathies at this time are with her family and friends. Everyone is shocked by the loss of a much loved and valued colleague."

Lord Glenarthur, Chairman of King Edward VII's Hospital, says, "This is a tragic event. Jacintha was a first class nurse who cared diligently for hundreds of patients during her time with us. She will be greatly missed."

The Duchess was released from the hospital yesterday but the stunt provoked global outrage.

William and Kate were reported to be angry at the intrusion.

The woman nurse who has been found dead took the call from the radio DJs in the early hours of Tuesday morning saying: "Hello, good morning, King Edward VII Hospital."

The presenter, Mel Greig, who was impersonating the Queen said: "Oh, hello there. Could I please speak to Kate please, my granddaughter?"

The woman answered: "Oh yes, just hold on ma'am."

Scotland Yard said: "Police were called at about 9.35am on Friday December 7 to reports of a woman found unconscious at an address in Weymouth Street, W1.

"The London Ambulance service attended and the woman was pronounced dead at the scene. Inquiries are continuing to establish the circumstances of the incident.

"The death is being treated as unexplained."

Sources say the death is not being treated as suspicious.

The two hoaxers, Greig and Michael Christian, were put through to a second nurse who told them: "She's sleeping at the moment and she has had an uneventful night. She's been given some fluids, she's stable at the moment."

The 2Day FM station in Sydney later apologised for the shocking prank

The stunt was deeply embarrassing for the Edward VII Hospital, which is the medical institution of choice for the Royal Family.

It led people to take to Twitter and social networking sites voicing their disbelief.

However, Prince Charles yesterday made a joke about the hoax, asking reporters: "How do you know I'm not a radio station?"

After the incident earlier this week John Lofthouse, chief executive at the King Edward VII 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."