Kate Middleton and Prince William are married by the Archbishop of Canterbury

Prince William and his wife Kate Middleton kiss on the balcony of Buckingham Palace

Pippa Middleton, the sister of Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge, watches a quarterfinal match between Andy Murray of Great Britain and Marin Cilic of Croatia at the 2012 US Open tennis tournament, Wednesday, Sept. 5, 2012, in New York. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge smiles as she views an orchid named in honour of Diana, Princess of Wales at Singapore Botanical Gardens on day 1 of their Diamond Jubilee tour on September 11, 2012 in Singapore.

Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and Prince William, Duke of Cambridge leave Singapore Botanical Gardens after a visit on day 1 of their Diamond Jubilee tour on September 11, 2012 in Singapore.

Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge and Prince William, Duke of Cambridge leave Singapore Botanical Gardens after a visit on day 1 of their Diamond Jubilee tour on September 11, 2012 in Singapore.

Photographers photograph an orchid named in honour of Diana, Princess of Wales at Singapore Botanical Gardens ahead of a visit by Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge on day 1 of their Diamond Jubilee tour on September 11, 2012 in Singapore.

The Duchess of Cambridge attends an orchid-naming ceremony during the first engagement in Singapore, as part of a nine-day tour of the Far East and South Pacific, with the Duke of Cambridge, in honour of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee.

Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge (Far- R) attends the welcome ceremony on arrival at the Istana during the Diamond Jubilee tour on September 11, 2012.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge during their first engagement, an orchid-naming ceremony, in Singapore, as part of a nine-day tour of the Far East and South Pacific in honour of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee.

Britain's Prince William, left, and his wife Kate, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge tour Gardens by the Bay in Singapore, Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2012.

Britain's Prince William, left, and his wife Kate, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge tour Gardens by the Bay in Singapore, Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2012.

The Duchess of Cambridge meets well wishers during a visit to Queenstown in Singapore, as part of a nine-day tour of the Far East and South Pacific, with the Duke of Cambridge, in honour of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee.

Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge listen to a speech during their tour of the Rolls-Royce Seletar Campus on day 2 of Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge's Diamond Jubilee Tour of the Far East on September 12, 2012 in Singapore. Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge are on a Diamond Jubilee Tour of the Far East taking in Singapore, Malaysia, the Solomon Islands and the tiny Pacific Island of Tuvalu.

Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge tours the Rolls-Royce Seletar Campus on day 2 of Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge's Diamond Jubilee Tour of the Far East on September 12, 2012 in Singapore. Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge are on a Diamond Jubilee Tour of the Far East taking in Singapore, Malaysia, the Solomon Islands and the tiny Pacific Island of Tuvalu.

Prince William, Duke of Cambridge is given a gift as he attends a cultural event in Queenstown on day 2 of Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge's Diamond Jubilee Tour of the Far East on September 12, 2012 in Singapore. Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge are on a Diamond Jubilee Tour of the Far East taking in Singapore, Malaysia, the Solomon Islands and the tiny Pacific Island of Tuvalu.

Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge is given flowers by a young girl as she attends a cultural event in Queenstown on day 2 of Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge's Diamond Jubilee Tour of the Far East on September 12, 2012 in Singapore. Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge are on a Diamond Jubilee Tour of the Far East taking in Singapore, Malaysia, the Solomon Islands and the tiny Pacific Island of Tuvalu.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are expecting their first child

Prince William, Duke of Cambridge (L) and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge (R) pose with four-year-old Maeve Low as they tour the Rolls-Royce Seletar Campus during the Diamond Jubilee tour at Seletar Aerospace Park on September 12, 2012 in Singapore.

The Duke of Cambridge leaving King Edward VII Hospital in central London after visiting his wife

A nurse at the private hospital which treated the Duchess of Cambridge has been found dead in a suspected suicide – two days after being duped by a prank call from Australian radio DJs.

The hospital, which has paid tribute to "a first class nurse", named the woman as Jacintha Saldanha

Ms Saldanha received the phone call from two Australian radio presenters and, believing she was speaking with the Queen, passed it to a colleague who revealed private information about the Duchess’ condition.

An ambulance was called to the hospital this morning where she was found unconscious.

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

Ms Saldanh was at first thought to be a receptionist at the hospital but is now understood to have been a nurse who was staffing the switchboard because it was 05:30 GMT in the morning.

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” and revealed information about her morning sickness.

The hospital said in a statement: "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."

It added: "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."

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

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge 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.”

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.”

Meanwhile, the Duchess of Cambridge left hospital yesterday saying she is feeling "much better" after three days of treatment for a severe form of morning sickness.

Kate emerged from the central London private hospital that has been providing expert care looking relaxed and with William by her side.

The Duchess was admitted on Monday after developing a condition known as hyperemesis gravidarum, which leaves expectant mothers so ill they cannot keep food or liquids down.

But she looked well and smiled as she posed with the Duke on the steps of the King Edward VII hospital for the world's media.

When a member of the press asked how she was feeling, the Duchess, wrapped up against the cold in a coat and scarf and carrying a bouquet of yellow flowers, replied: "Much better."

The Prince of Wales said he is "thrilled" that the Duchess is pregnant, adding: "It's a very nice thought to become a grandfather in my old age."

Kate, who is less than 12 weeks pregnant, will now have a period of rest at her home at Kensington Palace, said St James's Palace.

The Duchess's attendance at two royal engagements this weekend - a Centrepoint Royal Albert Hall fundraiser and the British Military Tournament - has already been cancelled.

It is likely her public diary will be tailored to how she is coping with the illness that causes prolonged bouts of vomiting triggered by smells and even movement.

For confidential support call the Samaritans in the UK on 08457 90 90 90 or visit a local Samaritans branch.

Belfast Telegraph