Queen’s cousin caught speeding in her £50,000 Porsche 3 times ... in just 10 days
A COUSIN of the Queen was banned from driving yesterday after she was caught speeding in her Porsche three times in ten days.
Lady Tatiana Mountbatten, a socialite and equestrian, had claimed that losing her licence would cause her ‘significant hardship.’
But the court heard she already had points on her licence and the number for the offences would take her over the 12-point limit at which a ban is usually imposed.
The 29-year-old, who trains horses in Windsor, was caught breaking a 60mph limit being enforced on the M4 near
‘Wonderful people who have trusted me’
Heston Services because of road works of which she was ‘blissfully unaware’, Lavender Hill magistrates were told.
Lady Tatiana spoke only to confirm her name, address, date of birth and to enter guilty pleas to three charges of exceeding the speed limit. She was banned from driving for six months and ordered to pay £565.
Mark Haslam, defending, said: ‘The horses she trains are based out of London, so in order to do her job she would do about an hour’s drive – she is going to have to make other arrangements to do that journey.
‘She is going to have to beg, borrow and steal to get there.
‘She has an HGV licence and she is the only one within the operation who can drive an HGV and I’m sure you will realise an HGV licence is essential for anyone in the equestrian business. She has recently taken up training as a therapist and that’s something that is probably going to have to be put on the side...
‘For some time she has worked, on a voluntary basis, for Riding for the Disabled. While she will do her level best to maintain her involvement in that, the consequences are she will have to concentrate on keeping her business.
‘Her greatest concern... is that, as a result of her behaviour, those who work for her may not keep their jobs because if she can’t operate her stables and training in the way her clients want, there will be repercussions.’
Mr Haslam said all three speeding offences had been committed at the same spot, after Lady Tatiana failed to notice the limit had been reduced to 60mph. Lady Tatiana – the daughter of Lord Milford Haven, who is a cousin of the Queen’s – was recorded driving her £ 50,000 2018 Porsche Macan at 70, 71 and 70mph between March 1 and 10 this year.
She rides every morning in Windsor and drives to London to run her online business. Her personal website reveals: ‘I spend every day doing what I love more than anything in the world: riding horses. I’m a professional dressage rider based in Windsor. Here, I train a couple of my own horses and some horses which have been put in training with me by some wonderful people who have trusted me with the education and career of their horse.’
Lady Tatiana’s brother, Lord Henry David Mountbatten, then 21, escaped a driving ban in 2012 after telling the court he could not afford to take a taxi to his regular flying lessons.