UK''s Prince Philip, 97, escapes unhurt after car crash; was driving : The Tribune India

Join Whatsapp Channel

UK''s Prince Philip, 97, escapes unhurt after car crash; was driving

LONDON: Queen Elizabeth''s 97-year-old husband Prince Philip escaped uninjured from a car crash while driving on Thursday near the Sandringham estate in eastern England.

UK''s Prince Philip, 97, escapes unhurt after car crash; was driving

File photo of Britain’s Prince Philip. Reuters



London, January 17

Queen Elizabeth's 97-year-old husband Prince Philip escaped uninjured from a car crash while driving on Thursday near the Sandringham estate in eastern England.

Police said two people in a car that collided with that of the prince, also known as the Duke of Edinburgh, were both taken to hospital for minor injuries but later discharged.

Pictures from the scene showed a Land Rover overturned on the side of the road. The accident occurred when Philip was pulling out of a driveway onto a main road, the BBC reported, quoting a witness saying he was very shaken.

Philip drove former President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle to lunch during their state visit to Britain in 2016.

Buckingham Palace confirmed Thursday's accident.

"The Duke was not injured," it added in a statement.

A palace spokeswoman later confirmed Philip was at the wheel and was checked by a doctor afterwards. He did not go to hospital and was now back at Sandringham, the private country residence owned by Queen Elizabeth in the county of Norfolk.

Famous for verbal gaffes but generally regarded with wry affection by Britons, Philip married Elizabeth in 1947 and has been by his wife's side throughout her long reign.

Since retiring from official solo duties in 2017, he has appeared in public alongside the Queen and other members of the royal family at events and church services.

He had successful hip replacement surgery last year.

The former naval officer did not accompany the Queen to a church service on Christmas Day last month though a royal source said he was in good health.

Kate Williams, a royal historian, said it would be a blow to Philip if the incident ended his driving days. "He really loves driving and takes a great pleasure in it and were he not allowed to drive he would find that quite painful," she said.

There is no legal age in Britain to stop driving, but after 70 people must renew their licence every three years.

Outspoken yet intensely private, Philip developed a reputation for brusque comments and often headline-grabbing remarks during ceremonial events.

A stray comment about "slitty eyes" during a visit to China in the 1980s became symbolic of his gruff and often unguarded manner. Even into his 90s, his off-the-cuff comments could still get him into trouble, such as when he exasperatedly swore at a photographer during an event in 2015. Reuters

Top News

Chief Judicial Magistrate's court in UP's Banda orders judicial inquiry into death of gangster-politician Mukhtar Ansari

Judicial inquiry ordered into death of gangster-politician Mukhtar Ansari

Asks additional CJM to conduct probe into Mukhtar Ansari's d...

Cash-strapped Congress gets fresh IT notice of Rs 1,700 crore, say party insiders

Cash-strapped Congress gets fresh I-T notice of Rs 1,800 crore

Ajay Maken addresses a press conference

Special court convicts 7 people in BSP MLA Raju Pal murder case

Special court convicts 7 people in BSP MLA Raju Pal murder case

The proceedings against Atiq Ahmad, his brother and prime ac...

Arvind Kejriwal's wife releases WhatsApp number for people to send messages for jailed AAP leader

Arvind Kejriwal's wife launches WhatsApp campaign to garner support for AAP leader

In a digital media briefing, Sunita says her husband has cha...


Cities

View All