Royal equerry's son died when hit by a van as he tried to hitchhike

Royal equerry’s son died when he was hit by van as he stood in the road trying to hitchhike, inquest hears

• Robert Wigram, 42, died after a collision on A48 at Wintles Hill, near Westbury
• He was the son of Andrew Wigram, a former equerry to the late Prince Philip 

A royal equerry’s son died when he was hit by a van as he stood in the road trying to hitchhike, an inquest has heard. 

Robert Wigram, 42, known as ‘Bertie’, died from multiple traumatic injuries after the collision on the A48 Gloucester-Lydney road at Wintles Hill, near Westbury on Severn, just after 3am on June 13 last year, the Gloucester inquest was told. 

Assistant Gloucestershire Coroner Roland Wooderson recorded a conclusion of accidental death.

Mr Wigram, whose father Andrew, the third Baron Wigram, was an equerry to Prince Philip, lived at the High Nash community in Coleford.

High Nash supports adults with learning disabilities, autism, brain injuries, mental health conditions and drug and alcohol addiction.

Robert Wigram, 42, a royal equerry’s son, died when he was hit by a van as he stood in the road trying to hitchhike, an inquest heard

The inquest heard that on June 12 last year Mr Wigram, who lived independently at the community and had ‘full capacity’, told staff he was going for a swim in Lydney.

Later, however, the staff received a report that Mr Wigram was ‘highly intoxicated’ and had suffered a fall. They were then told he had been taken to hospital.

At 6.40pm he rang High Nash saying he was with paramedics and was waiting to be seen at the hospital. Just before midnight, they learned he had been reporting chest pains when he was taken to hospital. Staff tried to call him at that time but got no reply.

The Coroner said he received a number of statements from people driving on the A48 that night who had seen a man on the roadside. One of the motorists was police support officer Christine Smith.

She stated that while driving near Minsterworth around 11pm she saw a man walking on the nearside of the road and noticed him ‘stumbling forward’ a bit.

‘He carried on wobbling and looked like he was well gone with drink,’ she said. 

Another witness, Neville Ireland, stated that as he drove towards Chaxhill at about 11.50pm he saw a man on the nearside verge.

Known as ‘Bertie’, Mr Wigram died from multiple traumatic injuries after the collision on the A48 Gloucester-Lydney road at Wintles Hill, near Westbury on Severn

‘He was facing the road and looking at me,’ said Mr Ireland. ‘He had his thumb up as if hitching a lift. He was just standing there.’

Shortly afterwards he was returning along the road when he saw the man again, about five hundred yards from the first location where he had seen him, said Mr Ireland. 

‘This time he was stood right in the middle of the southbound carriageway. He was looking at me and waving one of his arms up and down. I went past him and he just stood still.’

Another motorist, Anthony Willis-Dent, stated that at about 12.10 to 12.20am on June 13 he was approaching Westbury on Severn and saw a man in the road.

‘His right foot was about a foot from the kerb,’ he said. ‘He was facing me and holding his left arm up. It was clear to me he was trying to hitch a lift.

‘He didn’t move at all so I had to swerve over the centre white line to the other side of the road to avoid him.’

The driver of the Transit van which collided with Mr Wigram, Mr Kuwait Theirendran, said he was returning from Devon to Cinderford and had just passed the Esso Garage at Wintles Hill when he saw a ‘ghost-like man appear on the left from nowhere with his arms up above his head’. 

Mr Wigram’s father was Andrew Wigram, the third Baron Wigram, an equerry to the late Prince Philip (pictured)

Mr Theirendran said: ‘I saw him for a split second. He was stood on the road.’

The coroner said: ‘His instant reaction was to swerve right and put the brakes on really hard. But the crash was inevitable. He tried really hard to avoid hitting Mr Wigram but he was caught by the left edge of the van.’

The van driver tested negative for both alcohol and drugs after the collision.

A police report on the collision said Mr Wigram was standing 1.3metres into the road from the curb on the Newnham-bound lane.

The coroner concluded: ‘It is clear that very sadly Mr Wigram was seriously injured when, as a pedestrian, he was struck by a motor vehicle. Given the evidence I have heard it seems appropriate that the conclusion I record is that of road traffic accident.’

A family tribute after Mr Wigram’s death said he was the ‘dearly beloved son of Gaby and Andrew, adored brother of Harry, Will and Alice, devoted brother-in-law to Niki, Lily and Foggy, and very loving uncle to Ivy, Polly, Jesse and Billy. Best friend to so many.’

His funeral was held at St Michael & All Angels, Poulton on June 30th last year.

Mr Wigram was the second son of Baron Wigram – sometime Equerry to HRH The late Duke of Edinburgh – and his wife Gabrielle.

Major Andrew Wigram succeeded to the title of third Baron in 2019.

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