The Duchess of Edinburgh was reportedly left in a state of shock after witnessing a painful accident that nearly broke royal protocol when it happened.
The 60-year-old royal, who has gained a prominent position with King Charles as his ‘secret weapon’ for the monarchy, has been drawn into an unfortunate lawsuit involving an 81-year-old woman who lost her life in 2023.
A woman named Helen Holland had been crossing the street at the Old Bailey when she was hit by the speeding officer, PC Christopher Harrison, part of the motorcycle convoy escorting Sophie as she left the Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office.
The officer received a “not guilty” verdict, which drew an emotional response from Helen’s family. One of the family members had shouted: “You destroyed our family without consequence.”
Prince Edward’s wife has been quiet amid the legal process. She had only released a statement at the time to express her sympathies with the family. She could not comment further due to the pending court case.
In a new report by DailyMailnever-before-shared details of Sophie’s reaction were shared, where she almost broke protocol for the pedestrian.
For the first time, they have described the horrific injuries Helen suffered in what Harrison described in court as “a tragic accident”. They also said that in the moments after the collision, the Duchess of Edinburgh tried to leave her vehicle to rush towards Helen.
Meanwhile, Helen’s son Martin and her daughter-in-law, Lisa, are pursuing another lawsuit, not for any compensation, but to prove that the beloved great-grandmother “did nothing wrong”.
Duchess of Edinburgh statement via Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace released a brief statement on Duchess Sophie’s behalf in May 2023.
“The Duchess’s heartfelt thoughts and prayers are with the injured lady and her family,” it read.
“She is grateful for the quick response of the emergency services and will be kept abreast of developments. Further comment at this time would not be appropriate while the incident is being investigated.”
