A woman who was struck by a police motorcycle escorting Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, has sadly passed away.
Helen Holland, 81, was reported to have been travelling to London from her home in Birchanger, Essex, to visit her sister before she was struck by a police motorcycle escorting the Duchess through a main junction in the West London suburb of Earl’s Court.
The incident occured in the West London suburb of Earl’s Court.
(Image: Getty)Since the crash, Holland remained in a critical condition, with her son telling the BBC that as a result of the collision, his mother suffered “multiple broken bones and massive internal injuries.”
Holland’s son also noted that Helen was taking the “safe route of [a] pedestrian crossing” at the time of the collision.
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Holland was reported to have been in a coma for the two weeks following the accident, with family announcing at 1:00am AEST on May 25 that their mother had “fought for her life for nearly two weeks… but irreversible damage to her brain finally ended the battle.”
The location of the collision.
(Image: Google Maps)The Duchess of Edinburgh has since expressed her condolences, with a statement from Buckingham Palace via the Associated Press reading, “The Duchess of Edinburgh is deeply saddened to hear that Helen Holland has passed away. Her Royal Highness’ deepest condolences and sympathies go to all of Ms. Holland’s family.”
The head of the Metropolitan Police Royalty and Specialist Protection Unit, Chief Supt. Richard Smith, has also shared his sympathies to Holland’s family via a statement to People.
“Police officers come to work to serve the public and keep people safe, and this tragic outcome is being felt across the Met. Our thoughts are very much with the woman’s family and loved ones at this sad time.”
Smith also confirmed that the collision was in the early stages of being investigated by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), with the BBC reporting that IOPC have obtained CCTV footage of the incident and are continuing to talk to witnesses.
The Duchess has expressed her condolences.
(Image: Getty)Following the collision, Duchess Sophie has recently returned from a two-day trip to Baghdad to further champion her work surrounding the prevention of sexual violence and to encourage women to become involved in the pursuit of global peace. It is the first time a member of the royal family has visited Iraq’s capital.
