Royal Family grieving after friend dies in helicopter crash
THE Royal family were grieving last night after a close friend and leading light in the world of polo died in a helicopter crash.
Charles Stisted, a friend of Prince Charles and princes William and Harry, was among three people killed when the helicopter came down in mountains in Northern Ireland.
Mr Stisted, 47, was on his way back to Britain after a shooting expedition.
A Clarence House spokesman said last night: “The Prince of Wales, the Duchess of Cornwall, Prince William and Prince Harry are all shocked and deeply saddened by this terrible tragedy.
“Their Royal Highnesses’ thoughts and prayers are with the families of those killed.”
A former Scots Guardsman, Mr Stisted was chief executive of the Guards Polo Club in Windsor, of which Prince Philip is president. The Prince of Wales and his sons are members.
Mr Stisted’s wife, Melissa, was understood to be flying back from Dubai last night. Ian Wooldridge, 51, a construction tycoon, is also thought to have died in the crash in the Mourne mountains, Co Down, along with the pilot.
Mr Wooldridge, from Windlesham, Surrey, ran the £40-million-a-year Wooldridge Group, and was a fellow member of the polo club.
Police said the Agusta helicopter was travelling from St Angelo airport in Co Fermanagh and crashed near a picnic area at around 4pm on Saturday.