One of the women injured in a dramatic car crash involving the Duke of Edinburgh said they “always wanted to meet a royal – but not in this way”, it has been reported.
The 97-year-old exchanged “well-wishes” with the two women hurt when the Land Rover Freelander he was driving rolled following a collision with a Kia, close to the Queen’s Sandringham estate on Thursday.
A nine-month-old baby who was in the Kia was miraculously unhurt, police said.
Retired NHS worker Victoria Warne told The Sun she spoke to the duke as she looked after the injured occupants of the Kia.
The 72-year-old from Norfolk told the paper: “The passenger from the other car told me, ‘I always wanted to meet a royal – but not this way’.
She said the duke – who was found to have “no injuries of concern” after his check-up on Friday morning – asked about the welfare of the people involved in the crash.
“I told him the baby was fine – but we thought the passenger had broken her arm,” she said.
“He looked so worried and told me, ‘I’m such a fool’.”
Despite his age and having had a hip replacement operation last year, Philip appears to have no lasting problems following the crash.
A source said: “The duke’s routine in the coming days will continue as normal.”
Norfolk Police said two women – the 28-year-old Kia driver, who suffered cuts to her knee, and a 45-year-old passenger who broke a wrist – were treated at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King’s Lynn that day and discharged.
A palace spokeswoman said: “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.”
She added: “Contact has been made privately with the occupants in the other car and well-wishes exchanged.”
Mrs Warne’s 75-year-old husband, Roy, helped the stricken duke out of his car.
He told The Sun that Philip, who was left very shocked by the accident, asked if everybody was all right and was overheard telling police he had been “dazzled by the sun”.
The crash happened on Thursday afternoon as Philip’s Freelander pulled out of a side road onto a stretch of the A149 which was earmarked by the local authority for possible safety measures.
At a meeting, coincidentally scheduled for Friday, Norfolk Country Council approved plans to lower the speed limit from 60mph to 50mph, backed by speed cameras.
The duke appeared to be travelling without a police protection officer, individuals who guard all senior members of the Royal Family when at public and private events.
This may raise concerns about security but the duke was being shadowed by another vehicle, thought to contain police officers, just before his crash, Mr Warne has suggested.
Norfolk Constabulary said in a statement: “As is standard procedure with injury collisions, the incident will be investigated and any appropriate action taken.
“We are aware of the public interest in this case, however, as with any other investigation it would be inappropriate to speculate on the causes of the collision until an investigation is carried out.”
Philip may have plans to continue driving as the Queen’s transport manager, Alex Garty, was seen at Sandringham as a new Freelander was delivered to the royal residence.
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