A woman who died after being hit by Sophie Wessex’s police escort shared a “loving hug” with her sister shortly before her death.
Helen Holland, 81, had lunch with her older sister, Dorothy Phillips, on 10 May to celebrate Ms Phillips’s forthcoming 89th birthday.
As Ms Holland went to leave her sister’s flat in Earl’s Court, the pair shared a “loving” hug that Ms Phillips said she will “never forget”.
Within minutes of leaving the flat, Ms Holland was hit by a police motorcyclist escorting the Duchess of Edinburgh along West Cromwell Road in southwest London.
A witness said she was “thrown 40ft across the road”. Despite being rushed to hospital, Ms Holland died two weeks later.
“We did have a hug, and that’s awful for me because I feel if we hadn’t had a hug maybe she’d be alive, but then I wouldn’t know. It was very, very loving. I’ll never forget it,” Ms Phillips told The Sunday Times.
“It was pretty rare because our side of the family was not a huggy one, so it was a lovely thing to happen really.
“She was looking round the room as if she was taking it all in again. The three hours that we spent together were a beautiful three hours.”
Ms Phillips only learned about the tragic incident hours later when she called to check whether her sister had made it to her home in Birchanger, Essex.
During this time “she was lying in the road, bleeding and I knew nothing about it”, she said.
Before her death, Ms Holland was “perfectly mobile and fit”, she said, and both of them had always been careful at the crossing as it can be dangerous.
The crash left Ms Holland with “multiple broken bones and massive internal injuries”, which she sustained while using the “safe route of [a] pedestrian crossing”, her son Tom Holland said.
She was placed in a coma but was left with “irreversible” brain damage, which led to her death a fortnight later, he added.
The news emerged days after it was revealed that the police officer riding the motorbike that hit Ms Holland could face criminal charges.
Police watchdog IOPC confirmed that the constable who was riding the vehicle is being investigated for offences including causing death by dangerous driving.
The IOPC director Amanda Rowe said: “Our thoughts remain with Ms Holland’s family, friends and everyone affected by her death.
“This is a tragic incident and it is important that we carry out a thorough, independent investigation to establish the full circumstances, which will include the actions and decision-making of the officer under investigation.
“We have been in regular contact with Ms Holland’s family and we will keep them updated as our investigation progresses.
“At the end of our investigation, we will decide whether to refer the matter to the Crown Prosecution Service for a charging decision and whether the officer should face disciplinary proceedings.”
The Duchess of Edinburgh has previously said she was “deeply saddened” by the news.
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.”
