97-year-old Prince Philip on Saturday surrendered his driving licence in less than a month after causing a car crash that left two women injured infuriated the media raising a debate about old age and driving.
Buckingham Palace said he took the decision on his own after he was involved in a collision driving his Land Rover into another car on Jan 17 last.
Philip was photographed driving once again two days later but with no seatbelt. Police said they offered him “suitable words of advice” following that.
“After careful consideration the Duke of Edinburgh has taken the decision to voluntarily surrender his driving licence,” Buckingham Palace said in a brief statement.
An eyewitness told British media that Philip emerged unharmed but “shocked and shaken” from the smashup with the much smaller Kia hatchback.
Police said a nine-month-old baby who was in the back seat of Kia was unhurt. While one woman in the vehicle broke her wrist,the other cut her knee.
Philip came under strong media disparagement for failing to quickly and publically make an apology for causing such accident.
The same witness said Philip had told police he was “blinded by the sun” when he turned onto the road unabled seeing the oncoming car.
The critics were out again when Philip was photographed driving a replacement Range Rover two day later without a seatbelt.
Philip retired from public life in 2017 and underwent a hip replacement operation last April.
He is famous in Britain for his candid manner and his love for speed.
The royal family website says the duke “learned to fly all type of aircraft” after passing a Royal Air Force test in 1953.
