Italian royal killed in cycling accident in central London
LONDON -- An Italian aristocrat has died after he collided with a truck while riding his bicycle in central London.
The family of 21-year-old Filippo Corsini confirmed his death after Monday’s accident.
Britain’s The Guardian reports that Corsini was an Italian prince, heir to one of Florence’s most renowned and distinguished families, distantly related to Pope Clement XII.
The accident took place near a London department store at 12:40 p.m. Police say the driver stopped at the scene and that a 42-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of causing death by careless driving.
The Corsinis trace their roots to the Florence area as far back as the 1100s. According to their family website, they were initially merchants and bankers and then held positions in politics and the clergy, including Pope Clement XII in 1730. Some were granted titles of nobility.
Corsini’s aunt, Sabina, says he was the “connection between his heritage and his future.”