Queen Elizabeth II, 93, Spotted Driving SUV Without Seatbelt

By law, the queen faces no punishment.

Queen Elizabeth II of Britain was spotted driving without her seatbelt fastened, reports the British tabloid Mirror.

On Friday, January 10, the 93-year-old queen, wearing a headscarf with dog images and a winter jacket, was driving her black Range Rover on a road near Sandringham House in Norfolk. Besides Elizabeth, there were other passengers in the car, as well as dogs. 

Although driving without a seatbelt is prohibited in Britain,  the queen is by law immune from prosecution. As head of state, she cannot be convicted by a British court or even summoned to court to give evidence, since justice in England and Wales is administered in the name of the Crown.

A year ago, on January 17, 2019, Elizabeth's husband, 98-year-old Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, was involved in a car accident. Near Sandringham House he crashed into another car. The monarch was not injured, but two women in the other car, which had a nine-year-old child with them, were injured.

Just two days later, a photograph was published in the media showing the duke driving his car without a seatbelt. Police say they spoke with the prince.

On February 9, 2019, the prince voluntarily surrendered his driving license, and on February 14 prosecutors said they would not charge him in connection with the car accident.

Philip, in turn, wrote a letter of apology to one of the injured women. He claimed that the sun was in his eyes when he stopped at the main road near the estate, and therefore he did not notice the approaching car.