Kate Middleton's inner circle

Credit: Daily Mail

My thoughts on the suicide of Kate Middleton’s nurse

Photo credit: Zap2it

In a tragic and shocking turn of events, a nurse who transferred a prank call from two Australian DJs about Kate Middleton killed herself, according to the Daily Mail.

The body of Jacintha Saldanha, a mother of two, was discovered today near King Edward VII hospital, where Kate had been treated for her severe morning sickness. Jacintha was on switchboard duty early Wednesday morning when Australian DJ Mel Greig, impersonating Queen Elizabeth II, called the hospital asking to speak to Kate. According to a hospital statement, Jacintha had not been reprimanded for her unintentional mistake, but instead had been receiving support from the hospital.

Through an official statement, Kate and William expressed their deep sadness at the news. Chief Executive and general secretary of the Royal College of Nursing, Dr. Peter Carter, said “it is deeply saddening that a simple human error due to a cruel hoax could lead to the death of a dedicated and caring member of the nursing profession.”

I have several thoughts, which I would kindly like to share with you:
1. Suicide is never the answer. No matter the situation in which one finds themselves, suicide is a permanent answer to a temporary problem.  No patient, no matter how important they were, was worth taking her own life over. A life has been prematurely cut down, and the manner of her death makes her family’s grieving process that much more intense.

Anyone who is suicidal can receive immediate help by logging onto Suicide.org or by calling 1-800-SUICIDE (in the United States). Suicide is preventable, and if you are feeling suicidal, you must get help. So please visit Suicide.org or call 1-800-SUICIDE immediately.

2. I wonder what else was going on in Jacintha’s life that caused her to make that drastic decision. Was she depressed, for example? Untreated depression is the number one cause of suicide.

3. Everybody’s actions have consequences, both intentional and unintentional. When Mel Greig and Michael Christian picked up the phone in Sydney to place their prank, they could not have imagined the dire consequences their actions would have.

4. Although the hospital officially supported Jacintha, was she experiencing intense backlash and fallout behind the scenes?

5. The media's obsession with and aggressiveness towards Kate and William has really gone into overdrive since her pregnancy was announced, all in an effort to increase ratings, boost newspaper circulations, and website clicks. To quote royal blogger Marilyn Braun:

"In the months to come we will get medical reports, we will hear about Kate's stylish maternity fashions, the effect of the pregnancy on her physical appearance will be used to predict the sex. Is she carrying high or low? Will she have a home birth? Cesarean? Natural childbirth? Will William be present at the birth or will duty call him away? Will she breastfeed? (Cue the disapproving experts if she doesn't) How will she decorate the nursery? Will she suffer from postnatal depression? Not to mention the speculation about royal baby's future name and title. Mark my words, every angle of this pregnancy will be wrung for all it is worth." 

May Jacintha's soul rest in peace.

What do you think? Please leave a response in the comment section below.

Credit: Daily Mail

Kate Middleton's morning sickness: A Daily Mail cartoon

'Surprise, surprise, Kate, darling. A welcome home breakfast - champagne, porridge, bacon and eggs, kippers...'

Source: Daily Mail (December 7, 2012)

Royal blind item? "Which couple made a hasty retreat to the restroom within minutes of meeting?"

Photo credit: Gawker.com

This item concerns a famous woman who used to be a bit of a player but is now married to a less famous but notorious man. She's keen to stress the romantic nature of their marriage but the truth is that their relationship is based on a shared need for money and a strong physical connection. Those on the ground whisper that within minutes of their first meeting the randy lovestruck pair made a hasty retreat to the invalid loos (that would be the handicapped restrooms for our American friends). Not quite what she told her world-renowned family...

Source: The Morton Report

My best guess
Zara Phillips and Mike Tindall

Video pick: "Princess Diana: Behind the Panorama interview"

Photo credit: BBC

On November 20, 1995, the BBC aired a secretly recorded interview with Princess Diana during its Panorama programme, in which she openly and unabashedly discussed her despair over her loveless marriage, her insecurities, her hopes for the future, and her dreams with interviewer Martin Bashir. The British Establishment was totally caught by surprise, Prince William was deeply upset, Diana later regretted doing it, and a chain of events began that ended with her death eighteen months later.

Today's video pick, "Princess Diana: Behind the Panorama Interview," takes a look at how this dramatic piece of television history came to be. You can watch the documentary below:


Watch Princess Diana - Behind the Panorama Interview in Educational & How-To  |  View More Free Videos Online at Veoh.com