The Queen drives without seatbelt after Prince Philip’s car crash
Queen Elizabeth II has been seen driving without wearing a seatbelt only a day after her husband Prince Philip’s car crash.
On Friday, the 92-year-old was seen driving her Range Rover on a public road in Sandringham, less than two kilometres from the Prince’s accident scene.
The Queen is the only person allowed to drive without a license in Great Britain. While the UK laws require drivers to wear a seatbelt, the Queen is immune from civil suit or criminal prosecution.
However, Prince Philip as the Duke of Edinburgh is still liable for civil and criminal proceedings and will be treated the same as any other individual under the law.
The day prior, the 97-year-old Prince Philip collided with a Kia when he was driving his Land Rover, leaving two women with minor injuries. Reports said the Prince was overheard telling the police he had been “dazzled by the sun”.
One of the women, who suffered from a broken wrist, revealed that the royal has not apologised for the crash.
“I’m lucky to be alive and he hasn’t even said sorry,” said 45-year-old Emma Fairweather. “It has been such a traumatic and painful time and I would have expected more of the Royal Family.”
The Duke, who left the accident uninjured, was spotted behind the wheel again two days after the collision without a seatbelt in pictures published on Saturday, resulting in callouts from social media users.
The Norfolk police responded, “Suitable words of advice have been given to the driver. This is in line with our standard response when being made aware of such images.”
The investigation into Thursday’s car crash continues, with police saying “any appropriate action” would be taken if necessary.