The Duchess of Edinburgh has said she is 'praying' for an elderly woman who remains in critical condition after being struck by a police motorcycle in her royal motorcade on Tuesday afternoon. The incident occurred at approximately 3.21pm near the junction of Cromwell Road and Warwick Road in Earl's Court, London.
The Metropolitan Police confirmed that the woman was taken to hospital by paramedics from the London Ambulance Service and London's Air Ambulance. Her family has been informed, and she remains in a critical condition. Buckingham Palace stated that the Duchess's 'thoughts and prayers are with the injured lady and her family,' adding that she is 'grateful for the swift response by the emergency services.'
The accident happened as the Duchess and her husband, Prince Edward, were travelling to Buckingham Palace to host a Garden Party. The event, attended by 8,000 guests, began at 4pm and included the Prince and Princess of Wales, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, and Princess Anne. Garden parties have been held at the palace since the 1860s.
This incident echoes a similar event in 2019, when an 83-year-old grandmother, Irene Mayor, was seriously injured by a police motorcyclist in Prince William and Kate's motorcade. The then Duke and Duchess of Cambridge expressed deep concern and sent flowers with a handwritten note to her family.
