Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh’s police escort motorbike crash victim is “lucky to be alive” after being “thrown 40ft” into the air.
The woman in her 80s is still fighting for life in hospital after the royal’s protection vehicle was involved in a collision with the pensioner at Earl's Court in west London on Wednesday (10.05.23) afternoon.
Onlookers have now described the moment she was struck as she crossed a “nightmare” street at the junction of the Cromwell and Warwick roads.
Retired antiques dealer Martin Hennessy, 62, told the Daily Mirror: “She’s lucky to be alive at all. The road is a nightmare.
“We’ve warned the council about it. There have been three people killed here.
“When you get to the junction you have to step out to see if anything is coming – that’s when she was hit.
“I came out to walk the dogs and that's when I saw this thoroughfare. She’d been thrown across the road and the ambulance were treating her."
The Mirror also reported a witness said the woman was “thrown 40 feet across the road” in the crash.
It highlighted how another person who lives nearby described the street where the incident happened as “dangerous”, and had said on Facebook: “This road is awful – it scares me.”
Paramedics from the London Ambulance Service and London's Air Ambulance attended the scene, and the woman, who has not been named, remains in a critical condition.
Buckingham Palace has said 58-year-old Sophie’s “thoughts and prayers are with the injured lady and her family”.
A spokesman added: “The duchess’ 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.
“Further comment at this time would not be appropriate while the incident is being investigated.”
It is understood the duchess, married to King Charles’ youngest brother Prince Edward, 59, was being escorted with a rolling police escort manned by motorcycle outriders when the collision happened.
Two bikes, including one bearing King Charles’ cypher, were seen inside the cordon on Wednesday evening.
The Met Police's Special Escort Group provides armed escorts for the royal family, VIPs, members of the government, visiting royals and other dignitaries.
