Prince Philip is "shocked and shaken" but unhurt after the Range Rover he was driving collided with another vehicle and flipped near Sandringham Estate this morning (NZ time).
The Duke of Edinburgh, 97, was driving but was not injured in the collision, which took place close to the Sandringham Estatein Norfolk, Buckingham Palace confirmed.
Police and ambulance rushed to the scene, where the Land Rover the Duke was driving had flipped on its side.
Two women in the other vehicle, a Kia, were treated for minor injuries and cuts. Both were taken to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in King's Lynn and later discharged.
The duke returned to Sandringham and was checked by a doctor following the crash. The royal protection officer assigned to Prince Philip was also uninjured.
According to eyewitnesses, the vehicle that the duke was driving overturned.
The eyewitnesses said they helped the duke out of the vehicle. He was conscious but very shocked and shaken.
A Buckingham Palace statement said: "The Duke of Edinburgh was involved in a road traffic accident with another vehicle this afternoon.
"The Duke was not injured. The accident took place close to the Sandringham Estate. Local police attended the scene."
Police officers secured the crash scene, while an ambulance crew assisted two people with minor injuries.
BREAKING NEWS: Duke of Edinburgh has been involved in a car crash near Sandringham Estate but not injured - Buckingham Palace pic.twitter.com/QqwmN4Vwyt
A police spokesman said: "We were called to the scene at around 3pm to reports of a two vehicle collision.
"The road is not blocked. Recovery has been called and we are at the scene waiting for them to arrive."
'Miraculously he walked away from it'
UK correspondent Phil Dampier told Newstalk ZB's Tim Dower the accident happened just off the estate.
"The Duke turned onto a public road and a car was coming the other way with a couple of people in it."
"Now obviously I am not going to say who was at fault but in some way shape or form there was a collision and the Range Rover the Duke was in overturned and miraculously he walked away from it."
Dampier said the Duke is uninjured and resting with the Queen but there are questions over his driving.
"Obviously there will be questions asked about whether a 97-year-old, wearing glasses and a hearing aid, should be on public roads."
"He hasn't had a crash like this before and he does drive around the estate quite often and it's perfectly normal and he is actually a very, very good driver so I don't think there will be a problem there, but obviously, if it turns out he was at fault for this accident on a public road then questions will be asked."
Dampier said the Duke is still very active and enjoys carriage driving, fishing and driving around the estate.
The passengers who were in the other car are said to be okay following the crash.
It is unknown who was at fault for the crash, but Dampier said Prince Philip would likely fess up if he was at fault.
"He will be muttering to himself. He will be the first person to admit if he's made a mistake but I can't see him giving up driving."
Prince a keen driver
Prince Philip, who underwent hip surgery in early 2018, was pictured enjoying a solo spin around Balmoral as recently as September last year.
The elderly husband of Queen Elizabeth has become increasingly frail in his latter year, but is fiercely independent and still drives himself around the royal estates.
As a younger man, he famously owned a former British black cab and used to sneak out for unaccompanied drives around London.
Now officially retired from public duty, the prince was last spotted attending church with the Queen and extended family on August 19th.
The Queen and the prince have been at Sandringham for several days and attended church on Sunday.
The Duke of Edinburgh, 97, has suffered a string of minor health issues in recent years although he has remained largely mobile and independent, particularly given his advancing years.
Prince Philip most recently prompted speculation surrounding his health when he chose not to join the rest of the Royal Family for the traditional Christmas Day church service at Sandringham.
In response a royal source told Reuters: 'The duke is in perfectly good health, he is just spending the day privately.'
He was last seen at the Queen's annual festive lunch at Buckingham Palace in December.
Prince Philip was hospitalised in April last year and forced to undergo hip replacement surgery, although he has been seen carriage driving a number of times since.
In June 2017 he was admitted at the urging of a doctor after a battle with a bladder infection.
The condition forced Prince Philip into the hospital twice in 2012.
In 2015 Prince Philip sported a badly-bruised eye at a reception to commemorate the 800th anniversary of Magna Carta at Buckingham Palace.
He was also wearing two butterfly stitches on a cut to his right ear.
Buckingham Palace do not comment on the health of the royal family but played down Philip's new facial injury by saying that he was: 'Well enough to attend the event.'
