Sir Trevor McDonald says Prince Philip's driving was 'slightly mad'

by · Mail Online

Sir Trevor McDonald has revealed that Prince Philip's driving was 'slightly mad'. 

The veteran broadcaster, 85, made the revelation while speaking at the Cheltenham Literature Festival earlier today. 

Sir Trevor, a former News at Ten ITN presenter, was filming the 2008 documentary The Duke: A Portrait of Prince Philip when he was given a personal tour of Sandringham estate by the then Duke of Edinburgh. 

He recounted how he had to keep his lips sealed after Prince Philip had driven 'this super duper thing' into a puddle of mud as he told the audience: 'I am not allowed to say this publicly, but I thought his driving was slightly mad.'

But he told how the whole day had been 'lovely' with the Duke being 'extraordinarily generous in giving me his time like this'.

Sir Trevor McDonald has revealed that Prince Philip's driving was 'slightly mad' (Pictured: The then Duke of Edinburgh driving a Land Rover Freelander on the Sandringham estate in 2019)
Sir Trevor with Philip in 2008 while filming the documentary The Duke: A Portrait of Prince Philip

'But he put me in this super duper thing we are driving around, it was around Sandringham so there was nothing in his way and he would stop to wave to people who worked there and so on,' the Telegraph reported Sir Trevor saying. 

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'But then we drove into a puddle of mud and he went "how did this bloody thing get here, why can't I get this out", and I thought I mustn't say "because you just put it in there".'

Prince Philip, who died aged 99 in 2021, voluntarily surrendered his licence in February 2019 having flipped his car in Norfolk and injured two women in a crash the month before.

The Duke faced no criminal action for his horror smash in which his Land Rover Freelander hit a Kia at a T-junction.

The Crown Prosecution Service said it was not in the 'public interest to prosecute' after the collision near Sandringham, Norfolk.

He escaped injury but Emma Fairweather broke her wrist and called for Prince Philip to be prosecuted if found to be at fault.

The Duke appeared to admit responsibility in a letter to Ms Fairweather several days after the accident.

In his 181-word typed letter, Prince Philip wished her a 'speedy recovery from a very distressing experience'.

Sir Trevor recounted how he had to keep his lips sealed after Prince Philip (pictured in 2014) had driven 'this super duper thing' into a puddle of mud
Prince Philip (pictured here in 2015 in Windsor), who died aged 99 in 2021, voluntarily surrendered his licence in February 2019 having flipped his car in Norfolk and injured two women in a crash the month before
Witnesses revealed the Duke was shaking and pleading 'get me out' after his Land Rover crashed (aftermath pictured)
The Duke (pictured in 2019 at the Sandringham estate) faced no criminal action for his horror smash in which his Land Rover Freelander hit a Kia at a T-junction

He said he was 'deeply sorry' and explained while he was familiar with the junction he could 'only imagine' the low sun stopped him seeing her approaching.

The accident happened as Philip pulled out of a side road on to the 60mph limit A149 road.

According to one eyewitness, the Kia, driven by a 28-year-old mother, 'T-boned' the Duke's car and ended up in a hedge with smoke coming from the engine.

Prince Philip sent her a letter wishing her a 'speed recovery' and that he 'failed to see the car coming', the Sunday Mirror reported.