Mother speaks of ‘ocean of grief’ over Iris Goldsmith death
The 15-year-old died in an accident on the family farm in Somerset.
The family of Iris Goldsmith have released pictures of their “angel”, who was killed in an accident on the family farm in Somerset, as the inquest into the teenager’s death was opening in Taunton.
The 15-year-old daughter of financier Ben Goldsmith died suddenly last Monday afternoon after reportedly becoming trapped when a vehicle she was riding, said to be similar to a quad bike, overturned.
Iris’s mother, Kate Rothschild, paid tribute to her in the eulogy as she said: “I can’t possibly begin to explain the ocean of grief we find ourselves in or the feeling of being shattered into a thousand unfindable pieces.
Iris’s brothers Frankie and Isaac also delivered a message at the funeral, which was led by the Bishop of Buckingham, Dr Alan Wilson.
Her mother said in the eulogy: “Yes, Iris was life-giving and free and fun and wild, but she also worked harder than any girl I’ve ever known and she cared, she cared so much about living her best life.
“She had so many plans and dreams and ambitions and she was willing to put everything she had into reaching them.
“Take every opportunity that is given to you, live life as openly and fully as you possibly can, love like she loved, live like she lived, work like she worked, try like she tried.
“Goodbye, my angel, you were always on a whole other level to the rest of us, now you are truly untouchable, I am so proud of you and I always will be, we will miss you for the rest of time.
They married in 2003, uniting two of Britain’s most wealthy families, but divorced a decade later.
The incident on the family farm near the village of North Brewham, Somerset, was not treated as suspicious by police.
On Friday an inquest into her death was opened with a short hearing at the coroner’s court in Taunton.
Senior coroner Tony Williams said: “There is only limited information available to me at present, but I understand she was the driver of a left-hand drive all terrain-type vehicle when it turned over for reasons that are yet to be established, and as a result it is believed she suffered fatal injures.”
Mr Williams said pathologist Dr Edwin Cooper, of Yeovil District Hospital, had confirmed Iris’s cause of death was “not currently ascertained” and a post-mortem report had yet to be compiled.
Mr Williams adjourned the inquest for an internal case management review by October 18, with a final inquest hearing expected next year.
