Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Prince Philip’s miracle escape
Duke is breathalysed after escape through the sunroof of his crashed Land Rover
PRINCE Philip cheated death and walked apparently unharmed from a horrific crash in the Land Rover he was driving.
Witnesses said the 97-year-old looked “shocked and shaken” after being helped through the sunroof of vehicle which had been flipped on to its side.
In typical fashion, he is said to have shrugged it off as no more than a “minor inconvenience”. But a royal source told the Mirror: “He is lucky to be alive as anything could have happened. Everyone is just thankful he is alive and recuperating.”
The Duke was pulling out of a driveway near Sandringham when the accident happened just after 3pm yesterday.
The Queen, 92, was told “at the earliest opportunity” and was last night said to be in shock and “at her husband’s side while he recuperates”.
Both Philip and the female driver of the other car were breathalysed at the scene and provided negative readings.
Norfolk Police launched a full investigation. Sources close to the probe said Philip, who was thought to be wearing a seatbelt, had to be “helped from the car” after the 4x4 was left on its side with a smashed windscreen following the accident at Babingley on the A149.
After returning to Sandringham, where he now lives after retiring from royal duties, the Duke was seen by a doctor who “confirmed he was in good health and did not require hospital attention”, according to a senior palace source.
A royal source said: “There’s no easy way of saying this but given his age and the nature of the crash, the Duke has undoubtedly cheated death.
“In his usual character he has brushed off the crash as nothing more than a minor incident but the images of the scene don’t get away from the fact this is a hugely shocking incident.
“Everyone is amazed he walked away unharmed and it’s a massive stroke of luck he wasn’t seriously injured or even fatally wounded.” The Prince of Wales was at Birkhall in Scotland where he “is being kept constantly up to date about his father’s condition”.
Witnesses who helped Philip from the wreckage said he was shocked and shaken. One who saw the immediate aftermath said: “It looked really nasty. The whole front was smashed up.”
Another witness, Berneen Caney, 25, said: “It appeared to be quite serious.
“There was a lot of glass over the road as well as debris. I saw one of the cars was quite badly damaged. As for the Land Rover, its windows were smashed.”
The accident is certain to reignite the debate over elderly drivers being allowed on the roads without mandatory tests.
Buckingham Palace later confirmed Prince Philip was driving. His passenger, believed to have been a protection officer, also escaped the smash uninjured.
The Queen is understood have cancelled all
He’s lucky to be alive. Anything could have happened. We’re just thankful ROYAL SOURCE ON DUKE’S ESCAPE FROM CAR CRASH
plans at Sandringham. A senior palace source confirmed Philip would be “monitored closely throughout the next few days”.
The driver of the other car, a Kia, suffered cuts and her female passenger had an arm injury. Both were taken to hospital in King’s Lynn and later discharged.
The Duke is said to remain fiercely independent since he retired to Wood Farm on the Sandringham estate in August 2017.
However, he has had a string of minor health issues in recent years. He was in hospital in 2017 after becoming ill with an infection arising from a pre-existing condition. In 2011 he had heart surgery for a blocked coronary artery and in 2013 he had stomach surgery.
He did not attend church services at Sandringham on Christmas Day, choosing instead “to relax around his family” rather than make the short walk to the service.
A royal source said: “Prince Philip is fiercely independent and likes to drive himself around. In his typical manner he has not wanted a fuss and brushed off the incident as a minor inconvenience.”
They added: “The Duke has always been very insistent that, despite his age, he is perfectly capable of driving around the Sandringham estate and on public roads. In light of the collision, which involved another vehicle whose occupants required attention at hospital, it remains to be seen whether he will take to the roads as a driver again.”
Edmund King, president of the AA, said last night: “Many commentators use high-profile car crashes involving elderly drivers as a reason to call for bans or restrictions on older drivers.
“If driving restrictions based on age and safety were introduced, we would be more likely to restrict young drivers rather than older drivers.
“Young, predominantly male, drivers are much more likely to crash within six months of passing their test than older drivers within six months of hanging up their keys.
“Older motorists often self-restrict their driving by not travelling at night and only using familiar roads. The decision to hang up your keys is a tough one but should be based on personal advice from your GP and family rather than being based on some arbitrary age.”