Driver unleashes at Prince Philip after car crash, Duke given all clear at hospital
The woman injured in Prince Philip’s car crash says she has received no apology, while the Duke himself has been spotted driving without a seatbelt.
A passenger who broke her wrist after she was in a car crash with Prince Philip has revealed that she has not received an apology from the royal family.
The revelation comes as the 97-year-old Prince was ticked off by the police after being photographed driving without his seatbelt on, 48 hours after the accident.
Emma Fairweather told the Sunday Mirror that she was left screaming after the accident, in which the Prince’s Land Rover flipped onto its side after it pulled out in front of an oncoming Kia, being driven by a 28-year-old woman.
The woman’s nine-month-old baby was in the back while Ms Fairweather was in the front passenger seat.
Both women received minor injuries and the baby was uninjured.
Ms Fairweather broke her wrist in the crash, which occurred just outside the Queen’s country estate Sandringham at Norfolk.
She also disputed a remark that the Duke reportedly made to eyewitnesses upon his rescue that he had been “blinded by the sun”, saying that was unlikely as it was overcast at the time.
“I’m lucky to be alive and he hasn’t even said sorry. It has been such a traumatic and painful time and I would have expected more of the Royal Family,” Ms Fairweather said.
“It would mean the world to me if Prince Philip said sorry but I have no idea if he’s sorry at all.
“What would it have taken for him and the Queen to send me a card and a bunch of flowers?”
“I know the Queen is a busy lady but I was really excited at the idea she might phone me.
“Instead, I got a call from a police family liaison officer. The message he passed on didn’t even make sense. He said, ‘The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh would like to be remembered to you.’ That’s not an apology or even a well-wish.”
Ms Fairweather said she was still hopeful Prince Philip or the Queen would reach out to her.
“I still love him and the Queen. No one can change my views on that.”
A Buckingham Palace spokesperson said: “A full message of support was sent to both the driver and the passenger.”
OPINION: What Philip’s crash revealed about royal privilege
PHILIP WARNED ON SEATBELT SAFETY
The Sun newspaper on Saturday published photographs of the Duke driving his replacement Land Rover on a public road at Sandringham, without wearing a seatbelt.
He was once again driving alone with no royal protection officer.
Norfolk police, the same force that attended his accident on Thursday, issued a statement that “suitable words of advice’’ had been given after they were alerted to the photographs.
A police spokesman said the advice was “in line with our standard response when being made aware of such images showing this type of offence”.
The photographs show the Duke wearing dark shades as he drove.
VICTIM RECOUNTS CRASH
Ms Fairweather said she had met her friend, who has not been identified, for a cup of coffee in the nearby village of King’s Lynn, and they were heading home when the accident happened.
“We could see the Land Rover about 150 yards (137 metres) away from us at a
junction, then it started to move,’’ she told the Mirror.
“The speed limit was 60mph (100km/h) but my friend was doing no more than 50mph (80 km/h). I kept thinking he was going to stop but he didn’t.
“It all went into slow motion as I watched the other car. As we approached I could make out that it was an elderly driver.
“My friend was braking and seemed so in control but I was terrified.
“But then we crashed. I don’t think the vehicle spun, it just pushed straight across the road.
“Then it was just disbelief. I was in shock.”
‘I’M A FOOL’
The Sun reported Philip cried “I’m a fool” after being dramatically pulled through the sunroof of his Land Rover when the car flipped, trapping the driver’s side door.
Another motorist claimed on Facebook that the Duke almost crashed into her before the horrifying accident occurred, according to The Sun.
The incident has thrown Britain’s driving laws into the spotlight, and has raised questions about why Philip continues to drive in his old age.
The Queen is understood to be angry at her husband, while Prince Charles is set to step up and help his mother following the accident.
Philip was taken to the nearby Queen Elizabeth Hospital at King’s Lynn after the smash.
He had been seen by a doctor at Sandringham immediately after the accident and declared to have no injuries, but given his advanced age, it was decided to send him for a hospital check-up.
Buckingham Palace released a statement, saying: “On doctor’s advice, the Duke of Edinburgh visited the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King’s Lynn this morning for a precautionary check-up. This confirmed His Royal Highness had no injuries of concern. The Duke has returned to Sandringham.”
Their statement that the Prince had “no injuries of concern’’ slightly contradicts Thursday’s night statement, which said he was “not injured.’’
‘HOW IS HE STILL DRIVING?’
A driver claims the Duke of Edinburgh narrowly avoided crashing into her near the Sandringham estate before his crash on Thursday afternoon.
Helen Staines accused Philip of nearly running her off the road as he drove around Fring, Norfolk — about 10 kilometres from the site of his collision with a Kia, The Sun reported.
She questioned why he is still driving after news of his accident on the A149 in Babingley, Norfolk, emerged.
In a now-deleted Facebook post, Helen said: “How’s he still driving he nearly ran me off the road at Fring about time he stopped.”
She did not say when the alleged near-miss happened, but “fiercely independent” Philip has been driving himself around in his Land Rover for years.
PHILIP LUCKY TO HAVE ESCAPED INJURY
Police are still investigating the accident, which happened as Prince Philip was pulling out of a side-road onto the A149.
A Kia travelling along the A149, which had the right of way, “T-boned’’ the driver’s side of the Prince’s Land Rover, which overturned.
Prince Philip was badly shaken up but conscious after the accident, and a passer-by helped him climb out of the sunroof of his Land Rover, which lay on its side.
Given the force of the accident, and Philip’s advanced age, he is considered very lucky to have escaped serious injury.
PHILIP’S FIRST WORDS AT CRASH SITE
The Sun reports that a witness recalled how Prince Philip groaned: “I’m such a fool” after being pulled from the wreckage of his Land Rover.
Victoria Warne, 72, said: “He asked, ‘Is everyone all right?’ I said, ‘Not really’.”
Mrs Warne, 72, after she tended to the injured Kia occupants. “The prince steadied himself for ten minutes after the crash then started worrying about the others.
“He walked slowly down the path towards the crashed car without his protection officers and said, ‘Is everyone all right?’
“I wasn’t going to lie to him, so I said, ‘Not really’.
“I told him the baby was fine — but we thought the passenger had broken her arm.
“He looked so worried and told me, ‘I’m such a fool’.”
She added: “The passenger from the other car told me, ‘I always wanted to meet a royal — but not this way.’
“The two women and the boy were coming along the main road and Prince Philip’s car came out of the side road.
“Prince Philip told me later, ‘The sun was low and I couldn’t see’ but he still came out and collided with the ladies’ vehicle.
“It was their right of way. It’s not a fast road but it’s a 60mph speed limit on the A road.
“If you’re coming off the Sandringham estate, as Prince Philip was, he should have stopped but it seems as if he drove straight out into the road. The impact sent him rolling and spinning all over the road.
“The other driver reacted extremely well after the impact and steered her car into the path at the side of the road.”
CHARLES TO STEP UP, QUEEN ANGRY
Prince Charles is said to be set to step up and help his mother following his father’s accident.
“Prince Charles will have input from now on, as it is stressful for the Queen to make major decision on her own,” a royal source told The Sun.
“The only person who he will take heed of is the Queen, who at 92 will be horrified by this accident.”
The source said that the Queen would likely give her husband a dressing down over the accident.
“A stern talking to Philip with rules from now concerning driving will be spelt out once Philip is over his shock at this potentially very serious car crash.”
“He will not be contained, he has a low boredom threshold and is now causing a problem with his wandering and off piste activities,” the source said/ “He is basically living in Wood Farm on the Sandringham Estate and runs his own timetable, his trusted staff just tend to let him ‘get on with it’.”
The Queen is due to leave Sandringham on February 6, with Prince Charles expected to have an input in what will happen with his father after that date.
The crash has been described as a “major blow” to the Duke, and has reportedly sparked secret royal talks about his future behind the wheel.
Victoria Arbiter, a royal commentator for CNN toldUSA Today she expects that “serious conversations” are taking place about whether Philip should be restricted to driving within the grounds of the royal estates.
“He’s a proud man and it’s difficult to tell anyone to hang up their keys, but for a royal with so few opportunities to lead an independent life, this will come as a major blow to the duke,” Arbiter said.
Ms Arbiter’s father once served as the queen’s press secretary.
Older drivers in the UK must renew their drivers’ licence every three years after they turn 70, although they are not required to sit a test.
The palace has said Philip has a driver’s licence and it is up to date.
The Queen, who also still drives herself occasionally on the royal estates, as well as still riding horseback, is the only member of the royal family who is not required to hold a driver’s licence.
A replacement Land Rover was seen being delivered to Sandringham in the back of a truck yesterday.
Many residents spoke about dangerous conditions on the road where the accident occurred, and the local council said it would reduce the speed limit on the A149 from 60miles an hour (about 96km/h) to 50mph (80km/h) and install traffic cameras.
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