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Prince Philip car crash: Duke of Edinburgh 'blamed sun glare' after flipping vehicle near Sandringham

Duke walks away from incident 'shocked' but unhurt, as two others involved receive hospital treatment for minor injuries 

Friday 18 January 2019 04:39 EST
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Cars removed from scene after Prince Philip is involved in road traffic accident close to Sandringham Estate

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Prince Philip claimed he was “dazzled by the sun” following a car crash in which his vehicle overturned, according to a witness.

The 97-year-old walked away unhurt when the Land Rover he was driving crashed into a Kia near the Queen's Sandringham Estate.

The driver of the other vehicle and her female passenger needed hospital treatment.

When quizzed by Norfolk Police, the Duke of Edinburgh apparently blamed sun glare for the incident, an eyewitness told The Sun.

Roy Warne, 75, said Prince Philip “was unharmed but was obviously very shocked."

"It was frightening to see a powerful car rolling like that. I rushed to the other car - there was smoke coming out as if it may explode. There was a baby in the back seat screaming,” he said.

Norfolk Police would not confirm if there was a baby in the back of the car but did say both drivers were breathalysed and the tests provided negative results.

The crash happened at the Babingley crossroads on a stretch of the A149 which runs between the town of King's Lynn and the north Norfolk coast.

It is single carriageway and has a 60mph speed limit.

A wing mirror surrounded by shattered glass and broken plastic was left on the side of the road after the two vehicles were recovered.

The scene near to the Sandringham Estate where the Duke of Edinburgh was involved in a road accident while driving
The scene near to the Sandringham Estate where the Duke of Edinburgh was involved in a road accident while driving (PA)

"The male driver of the Land Rover was uninjured. The female driver of the Kia suffered cuts while the female passenger sustained an arm injury, both requiring hospital treatment," Norfolk police said.

"We can confirm both casualties from the Kia have been treated at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King's Lynn and have since been discharged.

"The road remained open and both vehicles were recovered a short time later.

"It is force policy to breath test drivers involved in collisions. We can confirm both drivers were breath tested and provided negative readings."

A Buckingham Palace spokeswoman confirmed the duke was driving when the accident happened.

She added: "He saw a doctor as a precaution and the doctor confirmed he was not injured."

The spokeswoman would not comment on reports Prince Philip may have been travelling with a passenger, likely a close protection officer.

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Prince Philip and the Queen are currently staying at Sandringham, their customary residence during their winter break.

Agencies contributed to this report

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