Prince Philip, 97, was involved in a harrowing car accident involving a young mother and her infant. The Duke of Edinburgh failed to see an approaching vehicle owned by Emma Fairweather and collided with her, causing his Range Rover to flip onto its side. While Fairweather received a broken wrist as a result of the crash, Prince Philip was remarkably uninjured. The baby was also left unscathed. He later blamed the bright sun for blinding him and causing him not to see Fairweather’s approaching Kia, according to Cosmopolitan .
Following the crash, authorities were immediately called to the scene to treat the victims. Although the Duke had reportedly wanted to check on Fairweather and her baby, he was advised not to do so by police. Fairweather was badly shaken up and expected an apology from the royal family for the traumatic experience. However, the days went by and still no apology came. While Fairweather is a big fan of the royal family, she admits she was disappointed by the lack of response on their behalf. She claimed to feel “rejected and ignored.”
Prince Philip has sent an apology letter to a woman injured when his Land Rover hit her minivan earlier this month https://t.co/pVwLarn8yB
— The New York Times (@nytimes) January 27, 2019
Nevertheless, Prince Philip came through to make things right between him and the young mother. Earlier this week he sent her a lengthy written apology in which he expressed his sympathies over her broken wrist. He apologized for his part in the accident, again blaming the bright sun for his mistake. The Prince had passed through that same road many times before and claimed to have never had any vision problems driving in normal conditions.
“I can only imagine that I failed to see the car coming, and I am very contrite about the consequences. I was somewhat shaken after the accident, but I was greatly relieved that none of you were seriously injured. As a crowd was beginning to gather, I was advised to return to Sandringham House by a local Police Officer. I have since learned that you suffered a broken arm. I am deeply sorry about this injury,” he wrote.
Ms. Fairweather stated publicly that she is grateful for the gesture and accepts Prince Philip’s apology. She has previously refuted his claims that the sun inhibited his vision on the day of the accident. She stated that it was overcast that day and she did not see how this would be possible. Nevertheless, she said that she will remain a firm supporter of the royal family.
