Post date: Dec 13, 2012 1:16:3 PM
Controversial singer Morrissey criticises the British royal family over the suspected suicide of a nurse who took a prank phone call seeking information on the health condition of Prince William's pregnant wife, the Duchess of Cambridge.
LONDON, ENGLAND (UK POOL) - Controversial British singer Morrissey said the royal family should share some blame for the death of a nurse who answered a prank phone call seeking information about the health of Prince William's pregnant wife, Kate.
Nurse Jacintha Saldanha was found dead a few days after answering a prank phone call by two Australian radio hosts who impersonated the Queen and Prince Charles and asked how the Duchess of Cambridge, hospitalised with acute morning sickness, was faring.An inquest into Saldanha's death, which opened in London on Thursday (December 13), heard from police that the nurse was founded hanged from a wardrobe in her apartment.
Talking on New Zealand television two days earlier on Tuesday (December 11),Morrissey said that the British royal family suppressed dissent, claiming they have learned since the days of the punk rock band, The Sex Pistols, who sang anti-royal songs.
"It'd never really happened before, so they weren't expecting it. But now they go to great lengths to keep anybody with an oppositional voice at bay, and that's how dictatorships work," said Morrissey.
The anti-monarchist singer said "dictatorship" was an appropriate way to view the British royals.
"Well, it's difficult not to. It's difficult not to see them as a dictatorship. What else are they? If you study the history of the monarchy, it's murder and mayhem and slaughter. So what is there to celebrate? And certainly in England, I don't know about the rest of the world, but one cannot say anything against them. And even with the recent story about the nurse killing herself at the King Edward hospital, there is no blame placed at Kate Middleton, who was in that hospital, as far as I can see, for absolutely no reason. She feels no shame about the death of this woman. She's saying nothing about the death of this poor woman. The arrogance of the British royals is staggering. Absolutely staggering. And why it's allowed to be, I really don't know," he said.
Prince William and his wife Kate said in a statement on Friday (December 7), the day Saldanha's body was found, they were "deeply saddened" by the death of the nurse.
"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," said the statement from William's office.
Morrissey also questioned Kate Middleton going to hospital to be treated for morning sickness.
"Does she have a heath condition? Is it anorexia, or is it a pregnancy? We don't know. But what is the health condition? I mean, morning sickness already? So much hooha, and then suddenly as bright as a button. As soon as this poor woman dies she's out of hospital. It doesn't ring true. It doesn't ring true, and I'm sure the palace and Clarence House put maximum pressure on this poor receptionist, nurse. Of course, that's kept away from the press. I'm sure the British press hounded this poor woman to her death. That's kept away, and by this time next week she'll be forgotten," said Morrissey.
Morrissey is known for his anti-royal statements and controversial comments.
The death of nurse Saldanha made headlines around the world, leading to widespread condemnation of the radio station involved, 2Day FM. Station owner Southern Cross Austereo has apologised for the stunt and offered a minimum of 500,000 ASD to her family.
Australia's media regulator on Thursday announced an investigation into the incident.
The London coroner's inquest, which opened on Thursday, will seek to determine the cause of her death.