Met officer charged over Duchess of Edinburgh escort crash death

A Metropolitan Police officer has been charged over the death of an 81-year-old woman who was killed in a crash with a motorcycle that was part of an escort for the Duchess of Edinburgh.

Helen Holland, 81, was struck in Earl’s Court, west London, on 10 May 2023. She died in hospital two weeks later.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said it had authorised a charge of causing death by careless driving against Christopher Harrison, 67, following a review of the evidence by the Independent Office for Police Conduct.

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He is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on 6 November.

‘Massive internal injuries’
Rosemary Ainslie, head of the CPS special crime division, said that with criminal proceedings now active there should be “no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice these proceedings”.

Ms Holland was fatally injured at the junction of West Cromwell Road and Warwick Road.

Following the crash, her son Martin told the BBC she died after sustaining “multiple broken bones and massive internal injuries”.

After her death was announced, a Buckingham Palace spokesperson said: “The Duchess of Edinburgh is deeply saddened to hear that Helen Holland has passed away.

“Her Royal Highness’s deepest condolences and sympathies go to all of Ms Holland’s family.”