A former healthcare worker has been formally cautioned after attempting to sell the Princess of Wales’s private medical records, the data protection watchdog has confirmed.
The employee, who worked at the London Clinic where the Princess underwent surgery, tried to sell highly sensitive personal information for financial gain, the Information Commissioner’s Office said on Wednesday.
The ICO said it had carried out a full assessment under the Code for Crown Prosecutors and its own Prosecution Policy before issuing a formal caution to the now-former healthcare professional for an offence under section 170(5) of the Data Protection Act 2018.
In a statement, the ICO said: “The conduct involved the deliberate misuse of highly sensitive personal information and an offer to disclose it for financial gain, representing a clear breach of trust.”
The Princess of Wales underwent planned abdominal surgery at the London Clinic in January 2024, during which it later emerged she was diagnosed with cancer. Her illness and subsequent recovery were kept private for several months, with the Princess making a public statement about her diagnosis in March 2024.
The attempted sale of her records, which represented a serious violation of patient confidentiality at one of the country’s most prominent private hospitals, had been reported at the time. Wednesday’s confirmation from the ICO that a caution has been issued marks the conclusion of the regulatory investigation into the matter.
