Prince Philip Formally Apologizes to Woman Involved in Car Accident

Prince Philip expressed his apologies to a woman who was involved in a car accident in Sandringham, England.

The Duke of Edinburgh made headlines Jan. 17 when he was involved in the two-car collision as he pulled his Land Rover out of a driveway. He suffered no major injuries despite his car flipping over.

According to Us Weekly, two people in the other vehicle were treated for minor injuries while a 9-month-old baby who was also in the car was not hurt.

Emma Fairweather, 46, a passenger who broke her wrist in the accident, previously told the Mirror that she hadn’t heard from the husband of Queen Elizabeth II, but he corrected his mistake with a letter sent to her on Jan. 21.

Written on Sandringham House letterhead, the royal wrote: “I would like you to know how very sorry I am for my part in the accident at the Babingley cross-roads.”

“I have been across that crossing any number of times and I know very well the amount of traffic that uses that main road,” he said in the letter, posted in full by the Sunday Mirror on Saturday. “It was a bright sunny day and at about three in the afternoon, the sun was low over the Wash. In other words, the sun was shining low over the main road. In normal conditions I would have no difficulty in seeing traffic coming from the Dersingham direction, but I can only imagine that I failed to see the car coming, and I am very contrite about the consequences.”

Philip, who was assisted out of his car by an eyewitness, was later sent to the hospital to be checked out.

“I was somewhat shaken after the accident, but I was greatly relieved that none of you were seriously injured,” he added. “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,” Philip ended. “I wish you a speedy recovery from a very distressing experience. Yours sincerely, Philip.”

Fairweather told the Sunday Mirror that she was “pleasantly surprised” by his note, which reportedly was hand-delivered to her home. She received it six days after the accident.

“I thought it was really nice that he signed off as ‘Philip’ and not the formal title,” she told the outlet. “A lot of people said it was unrealistic that I wanted human kindness from Prince Philip — which is what I saw this letter as.”