Does The Queen need a driving license? Royal Family driving rules revealed

18 January 2019, 13:22 | Updated: 18 January 2019, 13:24

Do the Royal Family take a driving test? And how do they get their licenses? Driving rules for The Queen and Prince Philip

Prince Philip was left 'shocked and shaken' after being involved in a collision in Sandringam with another vehicle yesterday after being 'dazzled by the sun'.

Philip, 97, was driving his Landrover when it collided with a Kia containing two women and a baby. Thankfully, neither Philip nor passengers in the other car were badly injured - although the women were treated for minor injuries at hospital following the incident.

The accident sparked a debate on whether the Duke Of Edinburgh should have been driving at his age - but what are the rules when it comes to driving as a royal? Let's find out.

Does The Queen need to have a driving license to drive?

Surprisingly, no. The Queen is the ONLY person in the country who doesn't need a DVLA license to drive a car. The rule is part of the 'royal prerogative', which means powers and rights that the sovereign alone possesses.

Although licenses are issued in her name, she does not need one herself. This means she has never had to go though the absolute horror of a driving test. She is also allowed to drive without a number plate on her car.

The Queen first developed her skills in driving when she was a teenager during the Second World War. She was in the Women's Auxiliary Territorial Service as an honorary second subaltern. When she was 18, she trained as a driver and mechanic, and learnt how to change wheels and rebuild engines. She also drove ambulances and trucks.

It may come as a surprise knowing The Queen as we do now, but she earned a reputation for not being afraid to get her hands dirty.

So she clearly knows what she's doing when it comes to driving. She famously shocked Saudi Prince Abdullah of Saudi Arabia in 1998 when she insisted on driving herself round her estate in Scotland.

Former British Ambassador Sherard Cowper-Coles told the Sunday Times at the time: "As instructed, the crown prince climbed into the front seat of the front Land Rover, with his interpreter in the seat behind. To his surprise, the Queen climbed into the driving seat, turned the ignition and drove off.

Women are not – yet – allowed to drive in Saudi Arabia, and Abdullah was not used to being driven by a woman, let alone a queen."

Does Prince Philip need a driving license?

Unlike The Queen, Prince Philip does need a license to drive a car.