Prince William and Duchess Catherine ‘saddened’ by Mark Shand death

Britain’s Prince William and Duchess Catherine are ”saddened” by the death of Duchess Camilla’s brother, Mark Shand.

The royal couple, who are currently on a royal tour of Australia and New Zealand, took a moment’s pause from their trip to pay their respects to the Duchess of Cornwall’s late brother, who died on Tuesday (04.22.14) after slipping on a New York City street and hitting his head.

William and Catherine said in a statement: ”The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were saddened to learn this morning of the tragic death of Mark Shand. Their thoughts are with the Duchess of Cornwall and her family at this time.”

Mark, who was 62, tragically succumbed to serious head injuries after he stepped outside New York’s Diamond Horseshoe nightspot to enjoy a cigarette.

The royal sibling slipped, hitting his head on a sidewalk, and was later declared dead in hospital.

Camilla, 66, is ”devastated” by the death of her brother.

Clarence House said yesterday (23.04.14): ”The Duchess, the Prince of Wales and all her family members are utterly devastated by this sudden and 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.”