Prince Philip was involved in a car crash earlier this month, in which he flipped his Range Rover and collided with a Kia, injuring its passenger
The driver and her nine-month-old infant were said to be shaken but uninjured in the crash, which has sparked debate about the 97-year-old Duke of Edinburgh and his driving safety habits
Just days later the Queen was pictured not wearing a seatbelt both as a driver and passenger in cars
Podcast “On Heir” hears from royal experts Omid Scobie and Emily Andrews, who say that senior royals like the Queen and Prince Philip are “in a different world” when it comes to safety
They remind the audience that the day after Prince Philip’s car crash, the Queen was pictured driving without a seatbelt, and then the prince himself was pictured back behind the wheel without a seatbelt after taking delivery of a new Range Rover
Ms Andrews also said how Jaguar Land Rover, which supplies vehicles to the Royal Family and their staff, was asked by the royal household to turn off the seatbelt safety sensor “because they have a preference to drive without seatbelts”
This is the sensor that bleeps when the driver or passenger in a car has not fastened their seatbelt
Ms Andrews continued: “It just plays into this narrative of them and us. “The royals, the poshos, a bit out of touch
“And us the plebeians, who have to comply with the law.” Mr Scobie agreed: “This incident was a reminder that actually, they’re in a totally different world
” Ms Andrews added: “To drive without a seatbelt on, which is against UK law, the Duke of Edinburgh, if he’d been an ordinary member of the public, Norfolk Police would have potentially fined him £500 for driving without a seatbelt
“Had it been a member of the public, you can bet your bottom dollar that they would have been fined
“Was the Duke of Edinburgh? No, he wasn’t. He was just given words of advice and asked to take an eye test
“He’s not being treated like a normal person.” Ms Andrews also said that senior royals like the Queen and Prince Philip have a responsibility to set an example
She added: “The Chairman of the British Safety Council said to me yesterday, if you are in an iconic position, in a leadership position, which all members of the Royal Family are, but particularly the most senior, the Queen and Prince Philip, you do have a social responsibility to make sure you obey UK law
“If you see someone in a position of responsibility, like the Queen, [not wearing a seatbelt] it doesn’t set a very good example
” Mr Scobie added: “One could argue, one man in a car by himself without a seatbelt, is that really a bad thing? Other than breaking the law
"But actually, when you speak to experts, the danger to other drivers on the road is actually quite serious
“Because the second you have that collision you lose control of the car without a seatbelt
It’s effectively an unmanned car, because that seatbelt holds you in.”