Great-grandmother Helen Holland, who was struck down by Duchess Sophie’s royal escort, has died

News

By Patrick Reilly

May 23, 2023 | 11:43 p.m.

A beloved great-grandmother from England who was hospitalized after being hit by a police motorbike escorting Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh earlier this month died of her injuries, members of her family say family.

Helen Holland, 81, from Birchanger in Essex, was in critical condition after being hit at the intersection of West Cromwell Road and Warwick Road in Earl’s Court in west London on May 10, according to the BBC.

Her family said on Tuesday that Holland had been fighting “for her life for almost two weeks…but irreversible damage to her brain finally ended today’s battle.”

Buckingham Palace previously said Sophie’s “deepest thoughts and prayers go out to the injured woman and her family”.

The mother-of-four, grandmother-of-10 and great-grandmother-of-seven was in London visiting her sister at the time of the accident.

Her son, Martin Holland, told the BBC his mother died after “suffering multiple broken bones and serious internal injuries” as she walked down the “safe path of (a) pedestrian crossing”.

The incident is being reviewed by the Independent Office for Police Conduct. The agency previously said it was reviewing security camera footage from nearby properties and body camera footage as part of its investigation.

He also said he would interview all officers at the scene and be in regular contact with Holland’s family throughout the investigation.

The Met Police Special Escort Group, which was involved in the crash, provides armed escorts to members of the Royal Family, VIPs, protected members of government, and other leaders and world dignitaries, according to The Sun.