Royal footman knocked out and rushed to hospital after being hit on head by falling glass panel at Buckingham Palace

A ROYAL footman was knocked out and rushed to hospital after being hit on the head by a falling glass panel at Buckingham Palace.

Pals of Louis Williams, 22, said he was “in a bad way”. and lucky to have survived.

Getty

Louis was on duty when he was struck by the pane while walking along a covered walkway last month[/caption]

He was on duty when he was struck by the pane while walking along a covered walkway last month.

The footman was found unconscious with cuts and bruises and taken to hospital in an ambulance.

A source said: “Luckily the Queen wasn’t there. What if the glass had fallen on her? It doesn’t bear thinking about.”

Buckingham Palace is undergoing a ten-year, £369million renovation until 2027 — with claims the 95-year-old monarch will never move back there.

A source said: “Louis was very lucky to only have suffered cuts and bruises — but he has scars and head injuries. Everyone is saying he is very lucky to be alive.

“They have spent years and millions of pounds renovating the palace — but bits are still falling down.”

Mr Williams, who lives at the palace, has been a senior footman for three-and-a-half years.

His family in East London did not wish to comment.

But a pal said: “It’s been terrible. I can’t believe how the glass fell on him. He was in a bad way.”

A Buckingham Palace spokesman said: “The health and safety of our staff is of paramount importance.

“The remaining glass panels were immediately removed, an investigation into the incident launched and an independent examination of all glass-covered canopies was carried out.”

The Queen had lunch at the palace last week but has visited only twice in two years — and not stayed the night since the pandemic began.

AFP

A source said: ‘Luckily the Queen wasn’t there. What if the glass had fallen on her?’[/caption]