Pressure on palace to stop Philip, 97, driving
But duke determined to stay on road despite major road crash
BUCKINGHAM Palace is under pressure to intervene over Prince Philip’s determination to keep driving despite a major road crash.
Witnesses yesterday revealed the 97-year-old was left bloodied and shaken by the accident. Four rescuers had to free him from his upturned Land Rover.
A motorist who swerved around the wreckage said the duke was ‘hanging from his seat’ and saying ‘my leg is trapped’. Another said the royal was shaking and pleading: ‘Get me out.’ He was alone and without a protection officer.
Palace officials admitted last night that Philip was taken to hospital on doctors’ advice, despite initially insisting he was unhurt.
It also emerged last night that a nine-month-old boy and two women were in the car that was in collision with the prince’s vehicle as he pulled out onto a main road near Queen Elizabeth’s Sandringham estate in Norfolk.
None of the trio was seriously injured and the prince exchanged ‘well-wishes’ with them.
However, he is now facing a police investigation over the accident and could be forced to finally surrender his driving licence.
Despite this, a replacement Land Rover Freelander, bearing his distinctive number plate, was delivered to Sandringham yesterday. And, astonishingly, the Queen was later pictured driving on a public road little more than a mile from the scene of the accident without a seat belt.
Dr Robert Davis, of Britain’s Road Danger Reduction Forum, said: ‘He shouldn’t be driving at 97 – I don’t care if he likes to drive. He has had a crash and he should be investigated, charged if necessary and prosecuted.’
Norfolk’s former roads policing chief, Chris Spinks, said there could be no favouritism, adding: ‘He will be dealt with like any other driver.’ Royal sources yesterday said the elderly royal, who is still at Sandringham, was in ‘deep shock’ over the incident.
Family members, including Prince Charles, were ‘worried’ for all parties involved. Palace officials would not say whether either the Queen or Prince Charles had tried to persuade Philip to give up driving. And as the full dramatic details of Thursday’s crash became clear, it emerged that:
Philip did not have a police officer in the car with him and may not even have had a back-up vehicle following him closely;
Norfolk Police pledged to investigate the crash and take ‘appropriate action’ if the prince is found to have flouted motoring laws;
Legal experts say he could be forced to hand over his driving licence in order to escape prosecution for careless driving;
Officials said the prince had a ‘precautionary’ hospital check-up yesterday but that his ‘routine in the coming days would continue as normal’;
Buckingham Palace confirmed contact had been made with the two injured women and ‘well wishes exchanged’ – but there was no confirmation of any apology;
Council officials voted to lower the speed limit on the road where the crash occurred amid a row over a failure to heed warnings in the wake of crashes on it before;
The prince was involved in a 1996 crash on East Anglia’s roads, with a businessman ending up in neck brace and with whiplash.
The two women involved in the crash, the 28-year-old driver and a passenger aged 45, were taken to hospital, one with a broken wrist, but later discharged.
The baby, who was rescued from the Kia’s back seat, appears to have been unhurt. Norfolk Police said the force would investigate the crash, meaning the prince is likely to be interviewed by officers.
A statement said: ‘As is standard procedure with injury collisions, the incident will be investigated and any appropriate action will be taken.’
Motoring experts said it was likely police would ask Philip to voluntarily surrender his driver’s licence because of his age.
A royal spokesman confirmed last night that he was taken to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King’s Lynn yesterday morning for a precautionary check-up on doctor’s advice, but ‘had no injuries of concern’.
The spokesman added: ‘Contact has been made privately with the passengers in the other car and well wishes exchanged.’
Under UK law, it is compulsory to wear a seat belt if there is one fitted, but the Queen is immune from any civil or criminal proceedings.
Buckingham Palace insisted the prince was careful to ensure she privately complied with the law.
When asked if Philip had ever passed a driving test, a royal spokesman made no comment.
It also emerged that in the aftermath of the accident, Philip was able to walk over and ask the occupants of the other car: ‘Is everyone else all right?’
It is thought that his Land Rover may have been armoured, which could have helped protect him.
Retired barrister Roy Warne and grandfather Glenn Watson bravely rushed to help Philip out of the wreckage.
Mr Warne said: ‘I was driving home and I saw a car – a black Land Rover – come out from the side road on the right and there was a huge collision with another car.’
‘He should be investigated’