Tragedies That Shook Royal Families Around The World

The Duchess Of Cornwall’s Brother Died From A Thin Skull

Photo by Dave M. Benett/Getty Images

Pictured here with British actress Joanna Lumley, Mark Shand was a well-respected writer and conservationist. He was also the brother of Prince Charles’ wife, Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall. Shand was liked in his field, having authored four books and founded the wildlife foundation, Elephant Family.

On April 23rd, 2014, Shand fell over and hit his head as he stepped outside of the Rose Bar in New York. Later that day, the 62-year-old was announced dead. It would later be revealed that Shand had an abnormally thin skull, which led to his death. If his skull was of average thickness, he would’ve survived the fall.