Prince Philip gives up his driving licence as CPS consider charges
THE Duke of Edinburgh has handed in his driving licence as it emerged he could face prosecution after his car crash near the Queen’s Sandringham estate last month.
Prince Philip, 97, voluntarily surrendered his driving licence 25 days after the incident when his Land Rover overturned and a passenger of a Kia car suffered a broken wrist.
It is understood the licence was handed over at a police counter yesterday as Norfolk Police announced its investigation file had been passed on to prosecutors.
A Buckingham Place spokesman said yesterday: “After careful consideration the Duke Of Edinburgh has taken the decision to voluntarily surrender his driving licence.”
A Norfolk Police statement confirmed: “The 97 year old driver of the Land Rover involved in the collision at Sandringham on Thursday 17 January, 2019 has voluntarily surrendered his licence to officers.
“We will follow the standard procedure and return the licence to the DVLA. The investigation file for the collision has been passed to the Crown Prosecution Service for their consideration. As is standard procedure with injury collisions, the incident will be investigated and any appropriate action taken.”
A CPS spokesman said: “We review each file carefully before a decision is made and will take this development into account.”
Prince Philip was unhurt when his Land Rover pulled out of a side road onto the A149 and collided with a Kia carrying two women and a baby boy.
His 4X4 overturned and he was helped out of the wreckage bloodied and shocked. The female Kia driver, 28, had cuts to her knee. Passenger Emma Fairweather, 45, suffered a broken wrist. Prince Philip and the Kia driver were breathalysed and tested negative.
The women were treated in hospital and discharged later. The nine-monthold was unhurt. Ms Fairweather later criticised the Prince for not contacting her. He subsequently wrote to her and apologised for his part in the crash.