Prince Philip seen driving for the first time since giving up his licence after crash
The Duke, 97, was at the wheel in Windsor Great Park and had no seat belt on despite a prior police warning
PRINCE Philip was seen back behind the wheel for the first time since surrendering his licence – and he is still not wearing a seatbelt.
Despite the Duke giving up his driving licence after his horror car crash earlier this year, he was seen driving in Windsor Great Park while the Queen was at the annual Maundy service at St George’s Chapel.
Philip, 97, is not allowed to drive on public roads, but since the park is owned by the private Crown estate he doesn’t need a licence to drive there.
An onlooker said: “I was very surprised to see the Duke driving his Land Rover by the river.
“He wasn’t wearing his seat belt and you would have thought after that terrible crash earlier this year he would have learnt his lesson.
“But he’s 97 and just doesn’t care.
“It’s ridiculous that he doesn’t wear one and it’s against the law, whether he’s on private land or not.”
BACK BEHIND THE WHEEL
The Sun revealed last year that Land Rovers sent to the royals are specially customised to disable the seat belt alarm, allowing them to drive freely without seat belts.
It’s mandatory to belt up under UK law unless a doctor provides a medical exemption.
The Queen, 92, is often seen without her seat belt as a back-seat passenger.
In January, Phil flipped his Land Rover Freelander after crashing into another car on a road outside Sandringham in Norfolk.
Two women were injured but the ten-month-old baby escaped unharmed.
The crash was thought to be the result of Philip being blinded by the low sun – but two days later he was back behind the wheel of another car on the Sandringham estate.
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In February he voluntarily surrendered his licence, after the Crown Prosecution Service said it was “not in the public interest to prosecute”.
He escaped injury but Emma Fairweather, 48, broke her wrist and called for the Duke to be prosecuted if found at fault.
He said he was “deeply sorry” and explained while he was familiar with the junction he could “only imagine” the low sun stopped him seeing the other car.
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