Sophie’s prayers for elderly woman hit by police escort
A MOTORBIKE escort for the Duchess of Edinburgh has struck a woman in her 80s – leaving her in a critical condition in hospital.
Sophie, 58, sent her “thoughts and prayers” to the injured pedestrian following the collision on one of the main roads out of London. Prince Edward’s wife is thought to have been on her way from a Buckingham Palace garden party to an Evensong service at Windsor Castle’s St George’s Chapel when the incident happened.
The motorbike was a police one and Scotland Yard has referred the matter to its directorate of professional standards as a matter of routine.
The Independent Office for Police Conduct will also carry out an investigation into the circumstances of Wednesday afternoon’s crash on the A4 in West London.
The incident mirrors a similar one four years ago when 84-yearold Irene Mayor was struck by one of PrinceWilliam’s outriders.
Mrs Mayor needed hospital treatment after suffering a broken leg and pelvis, broken arms and a head injury.
Her sister Joyce Shore, 86, accused the riders of travelling too quickly before the crash in East Sheen, South West London.
The latest incident happened at about 3.20pm in Earl’s Court, near the junction of Cromwell Road and Warwick Road.
Shout
Paramedics from London Ambulance Service and London’s Air Ambulance tended to the woman and took her to hospital.
Her name and age have not been released.
The disruption led to a long traffic jam.
Photos from the scene showed a Special Escort Group police bike inside a police cordon surrounded by medical equipment. On the road was a brown paper bag, a face mask, a bottle of hand sanitiser and a discarded training shoe. Resident Fiona El-Lasbi, who saw the aftermath from a friend’s window, said the escort riders come through at speed almost “every other day”.
She told Sky News: “The way they come through and shout at the public to stop, she probably didn’t get a chance or the police bikes were coming too quick.
“I don’t know what happened, but she was in a mess. Let’s just pray that she makes it.”
A Buckingham Palace spokeswoman said Sophie, who played a prominent role in last weekend’s Coronation, was grateful for the swift emergency response.
A Palace statement said: “The Duchess’s heartfelt thoughts and prayers are with the injured lady and her family.
“She is grateful for the swift response by the emergency services and will keep abreast of developments. Further comment at this time would not be appropriate while the incident is being investigated.”