An elderly woman was hospitalized in serious condition after Prince William and Duchess Kate’s convoy crashed into her on Monday, June 17.
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were traveling from London to Windsor when a police motorcycle in their convoy collided with the pedestrian, Irene Mayor, on Upper Richmond Road. An eyewitness told The Sun that the motorbike hit the 83-year-old “and she spun round, off her feet, and fell badly on the floor.”
Mayor’s daughter Fiona told the U.K. newspaper that her mother sustained “lots of injuries” and was taken to a nearby hospital. “They are just keeping her stable at the moment,” Fiona said.
William, 36, and Kate, 37, reportedly had flowers and a handwritten note delivered to Mayor’s bedside. They also publicly sent their well wishes to the woman as she recuperates.
“The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were deeply concerned and saddened to hear about the accident on Monday afternoon,” a spokesperson for Kensington Palace said in a statement to The Telegraph. “Their Royal Highnesses have sent their very best wishes to Irene and her family and will stay in touch throughout every stage of her recovery.”
A spokesperson for the Independent Office for Police Conduct confirmed to The Telegraph that it is conducting an independent investigation into the accident. “The investigation is in its very early stages and the officer involved is assisting our enquiries as a witness,” the spokesperson said. “Our immediate thoughts are with the injured woman and her family and those affected by the incident. The woman’s family has asked that their privacy be respected at this time.”
Mayor’s friend Lionel Blackburn also spoke out, telling The Sun, “She’s an incredibly nice person. I have known her for over 40 years. She used to do a lot of voluntary work for the church and her [late] husband, Walter, used to lead the evening service. We were all devastated when we heard she had been hit by the police bike. Irene is always smiling and cheerful. Hopefully she’ll be back at church soon.”
The incident came five months after William’s grandfather Prince Philip was involved in a car accident. The Duke of Edinburgh, 98, was driving near Sandringham Estate in England in January when his SUV hit into another vehicle and flipped over. Philip, who later apologized to the driver and passengers in the other car, was uninjured and did not face charges. He was spotted driving without wearing his seatbelt days later.