Duchess Sophie Releases Statement After Royal Police Escort Hits Woman

Publish date: 2024-09-21

Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, is sending her support and prayers to a woman who was gravely injured by a police motorcycle that was part of the duchess’s royal escort.

The collision occurred this Wednesday afternoon, at the intersection of West Cromwell Road and Warwick Road in Earl’s Court, west London, the Metropolitan Police said, per the BBC.

The woman, who is in her 80s, was treated by paramedics from London Ambulance Service and London’s Air Ambulance on site before being taken to a hospital. She remains in critical condition and her family has been informed, the Met Police said Thursday.

Police added that no other injuries were reported, and the accident is being investigated by the Independent Office for Police Conduct.

Buckingham Palace released a short statement on Sophie’s behalf after the crash. “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,” the palace said. “Further comment at this time would not be appropriate while the incident is being investigated.”

A similar accident took place in 2019, when a woman, also in her 80s, was hit by a police motorbike in Prince William and Princess Kate’s police escort. Kensington Palace said at the time that the royal couple were “deeply concerned and saddened” and had been in touch with the woman.

Wednesday’s unfortunate incident comes after a week of major royal engagements for Sophie and the rest of the royal family around England. The duchess and husband Prince Edward attended King Charles III and Queen Camilla’s coronation last Saturday, and were also present at the many celebrations that took place in the days following the ceremony.

britains sophie, duchess of edinburgh l and britains prince edward, duke of edinburgh attend a garden party at buckingham palace in london on may 9, 2023, as part of the coronation celebrations king charles iii thanked the british people for the greatest possible coronation gift on monday as three days of celebrations for the historic event drew to a close with a massive volunteering drive photo by jonathan brady pool afp photo by jonathan bradypoolafp via getty images

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Rosa Sanchez is the senior news editor at Harper's Bazaar, working on news as it relates to entertainment, fashion, and culture. Previously, she was a news editor at ABC News and, prior to that, a managing editor of celebrity news at American Media. She has also written features for Rolling Stone, Teen Vogue, Forbes, and The Hollywood Reporter, among other outlets. 

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