Son of Kate Middleton’s nurse who killed herself after prank will go to Northumbria
Two Australian DJs prank called his mum, leading to her death
The TabThe son of the nurse who killed herself after two Australian DJs prank called her when she cared for Kate Middleton when she was pregnant is set to go to uni.
Junal Barboza, 19, lost his mum when she hanged herself three months before he started his A-levels.
Jacintha Saldanha, 46, killed herself after she was tricked into thinking she was talking to the Queen – and put the call through to a nurse who revealed pregnant Kate’s condition.
Junal says his mum Jacintha was so professional she never “breathed a word” to anyone that she was helping care for the Duchess of Cambridge.
But now, he has won a place at Northumbria to study Architecture.
Junal Barboz lost his mum three months before his A-levels started
His mum was humiliated that she fell for the joke because she was so careful to obey confidence rules she didn’t even tell her family her hospital had a royal guest.
He said: “She took pride in her work and was humiliated in front of the world’s media. We would talk every day on the phone.
“She never spoke of the Royal family being there because of the confidentiality clause. She never breathed a word.”
His mum hanged herself three days after taking a call from DJs impersonating the Queen and Prince Charles in December 2012.
She was working at the London hospital where the-then pregnant Duchess of Cambridge was being treated and put through a call to a nurse who gave out information.
Nurse Jacintha Saldanha, who killed herself after a hoax call in which two Australian radio DJs impersonated the Queen and Prince Charles
Jacintha’s death came just three months before her son started his A-levels at St Brendan’s Sixth Form College in Bristol.
But the inspirational teenager knuckled down and got the A-level results he needed to get a place to study architecture at Northumbria University in Newcastle.
He said he was inspired by his mother’s strong work ethic, and told her of his results in his nightly prayer to her.
Hard-working Junal said: “As my mum would, I set high standards for myself to strive for the best. I hope she would be very proud.”
Junal had three months off school and an extra year to focus on his exams as he recovered from the trauma of his mother’s death.
Last week the brave student found out he had achieved a D in Maths, a C in Geography AS-level a B in Extended Project Qualification.
Junal with his winning results
He was initially going to study engineering, but has switched to architecture after realising that he had inherited a talent for design from his mum.
He said: “She was the designer of the family, and the artist as well. She would always help me with my drawing and I hope I have inherited a bit of it.”
Jumal accompanied his father Benedict Barboza, and sister Janice Lisha, to the inquest into his mother’s death, last September.
The hearing in Westminster was also attended by DJ Mel Greig, who impersonated the Queen on the phone to Mrs Saldanha.
The inquest heard among the three suicide notes she left behind was one holding the DJs responsible.
But mature Junal said he does not want revenge over his mother’s death, and added: “Mentally I didn’t want to give her [Greig] the time of day.
“My one concern was keeping my family together. Anger is a wasted emotion.”
He added: ”Mum was a very bubbly, caring person. Each day is something we have to conquer, together. It still feels like all of this happened yesterday.”