The brother of Camilla Parker Bowles, Britain’s Duchess of Cornwall, died in a New York hospital on Wednesday after suffering a serious head injury as a result of a fall. Mark Shand was 62.
His sister, Camilla Parker Bowles, is the second wife of Prince Charles. The royal couple said in a statement they were “utterly devastated by the tragic loss”.
“Mark Shand was a man of extraordinary vitality, a tireless campaigner and conservationist whose incredible work through the Elephant Family and beyond remained his focus right up until his death,” the statement said about the charity Mr Shand had established.
Mr Shand was taken to hospital on Tuesday night after reportedly slipping while lighting a cigarette and hitting his head on the pavement outside an after-party for a charity event.
Mr Shand was the chairman of the Elephant Family charity and was known for his work as a conservationist and travel writer. He was in New York for an auction held at Sotheby’s in aid of a charity for underprivileged children and the Elephant Family, which aims to save the endangered Asian elephant from extinction in the wild.
It was the finale for the month-long Big Egg Hunt NYC by Faberge, which saw egg sculptures sold to the highest bidder. The event raised $1.6 million for charity and was also attended by Princess Eugenie, according to reports.
Mr Shand recently denied being in a relationship with Nancy Dell’Olio, the former girlfriend of ex-England football manager Sven Goran Eriksson. He said: “Let me be clear, I have never had an affair with Nancy Dell’Olio. We have never dated. There is no romance; there has not been any romance, there never will be.” – (Reuters/PA)