Prince Philip 'Voluntarily' Gives Up His Driver's License

Prince Philip will no longer be behind the wheel—at least not legally, the BBC reports. The 97-year-old duke, who was recently involved in a car crash, has "taken the decision to voluntarily" give up his driver's license, says Buckingham Palace. "The duke is reported to have acknowledged that the collision last month was his fault," per a royal news correspondent. "There was a fair deal of criticism of his decision to drive just two days after the crash. Now he has chosen to give up some of his independence and will have a driver from this point on." Philip also wrote a letter to the other driver—Emma Fairweather, who broke her wrist—that's been published in the Sunday Mirror.

"I would like you to know how very sorry I am for my part in the accident," writes the duke, who calls the accident "a very distressing experience." He says low sunlight kept him from seeing oncoming traffic, "and I am very contrite about the consequences." Fairweather, who criticized Philip's initial lack of communication over the Jan. 17 crash, says she likes "that he signed off as 'Philip' and not the formal title. I was pleasantly surprised because of the personalized nature." No one has been charged in the accident, but Norfolk police say they're still investigating how the duke's Land Rover came in contact with Fairweather's Kia, per the New York Times. (More Prince Philip stories.)