A life on the road: How daredevil Prince Philip has enjoyed getting behind the wheel of cars, tanks, motorbikes and even a BUS before his Land Rover crash
- The Duke of Edinburgh has been a lifelong petrol-head, relishing the opportunity to jump behind the wheel
- On Royal visits over the years he has enjoyed driving school coaches, tanks, double-decker buses and bikes
- The Queen was won over by the young Prince who wore a navy uniform and drove a 'fast' MG sports car
Despite his shock car crash last night, royal watchers would not have been too surprised to see the Duke of Edinburgh behind the wheel, particularly at the Sandringham estate in eastern England.
Prince Philip has been a lifelong petrol head, relishing the opportunity to jump behind the wheel at royal visits throughout the years.
He has cruised around in school coaches, double-decker buses, tanks and bikes and owned an impressive personal collection of rare and vintage motors,
Indeed the dashing Prince wooed a young Prince Elizabeth in 1939 wife when he turned up in his 'fast MG sports car' and took her for a ride around London.
Here, we take a look at the Duke of Edinburgh's love of cars and motors throughout the years.
The Duke Of Edinburgh is pictured here on March 20, 1969 on a visit to the Regiment of The Queen's Royal Hussars at Bovington Camp in Dorset. Prince Philip can be seen in his uniform sitting in the driving seat of the Chieftan Tank as Colonel in Chief of the regiment sits beside the 120mm gun and they take orders from Sergeant Bill Mclernon
April 1957: The Duke of Edinburgh is seen trying the passenger's seat of the new 3.5 litre Jaguar XKSS sports car during his visit to the Motor Industry Research Association's headquarters near Nuneaton, Warwickshire
Prince Philip at the wheel of a Leyland Bus during his visit to their Lancashire Factory in July 1966. At the shout of 'fares please,' he slipped the double-decker bus into gear and began cruising around the mile-long test track. His passengers included Sir Donald Stokes, Managing Director Of Leyland Motors - the makers of the bus - and Sir William Black, the company chairman
August 1964: The Duke Of Edinburgh drives his daughter Princess Anne through Windsor Great Park
10 August 1960: During the Royal tour of the Shetland Isles, Prince Philip drove the Queen around in a Morris van which was used as a school bus
May 1955: Prince Philip Drives to the European Horse Trials with the Queen and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester in a Land Rover
July 1967: The Duke of Edinburgh, who was involved in a road traffic accident at the edge of the Sandringham Estate, raising his hat as he drives off from Heathrow Airport after arriving back with the Queen from their weeks' tour of Canada
In a letter in 1939 the then-Princess wrote: 'Philip enjoys driving and does it fast! He has his own tiny M.G which he is very proud of – he has taken me about in it, once up to London, which was great fun, only it was like sitting on the road, and the wheels are almost as high as one's head.'
A 2008 ITV television interview marking his 60 years in public life was largely done while the prince drove around the royals' winter retreat.
And in 2016, Prince Philip drove Barack Obama, with Queen Elizabeth and Michelle Obama sitting in the back, during the US president's state visit to Britain.
A year later, he gave up his eco-friendly black taxi, which he used for getting to engagements in London, causing many a double-take. It is now in the Sandringham museum.
A 1954 Lagonda 3 Litre Drophead Coupe that was made to order for the Duke of Edinburgh, winning Aston Martin its first Royal Warrant, has been sold at auction.
Prince Philip also had his old Aston Martin sports car - a 1954 Lagonda 3 Litre Drophead Coupe - modified so the Queen could check her hat using an extra vanity mirror and he could make prank calls to Prince Charles on a radio telephone.
The four-seater car was made especially for the Prince and won Aston Martin its Royal Warrant. He used it to take Prince Charles to and from Cheam prep school and for trips to Cowdray Park for the polo.
Holiday makers wave to the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh as they continue their leisurely tour of the Isle of Sark by horse-drawn carriage
28 August 1979: Duke of Edinburgh (left) as he drives away from Heathrow Airport after flying back to Britain from France after hearing the news of the murder of Earl Mountbatten of Burma. The Duke had been taking park in a coach driving championship's in Normandy, France
July 1963: Prince Philip drives away from the Rootes Factory in one of their new Hillman Imps with passengers Lord Rootes and the Hon Jeffrey Rootes. The Duke drove the new Hillman at speeds of 80mph when the opened the firm's plant in Linwood, Renfrewshire
The Queen and Prince Philip are pictured here in August 1956 on a Royal visit to South Uist and Benbecula, in the Western Isles of Scotland, where they went to see the proposed site of North Ford Bridge
The Duke of Edinburgh and his son Prince Andrew leave Buckingham Palace by car to go to Windsor Castle for Christmas
July 1953: The Duke of Edinburgh trying out the controls of an Aston Martin race car at Goodwood motor racing circuit, Sussex
4 December 1962: The Duke of Edinburgh, appears to be having a little trouble getting into a Fiat 500cc baby car before testing the tiny vehicle on the factory's track during his visit to the Fiat plant in Turin. The Duke was paying a private visit to Italy as a guest of the Italian Marquis Medici Del Vascello on the latter's estate near Turin
May 1966: The Duke Of Edinburgh at the wheel of his Triplex Gts car as he arrived at the King Edward VII Hospital for Officers to visit Princess Anne
2 May 1966: Prince Philip at London Airport. The Duke Of Edinburgh bought the only car of its kind in Britain - the revolutionary Triplex Scimitar GTS 'safety car' which was glass-topped and reached speeds of 120mph.
February 1960: Prince Philip at the wheel of his car as he arrived back at Buckingham Palace, from Sandringham to be with the Queen as she expected her third child, Prince Andrew
The Duke of Edinburgh about to get into an Aston Martin car, driven by the Prince of Wales, outside King Edward VII Hospital for Officers in Beaumont Street, London. The Royal father and son had visited Princess Anne, a patent at the hospital
February, 1999: The Duke of Edinburgh takes collection of his new Edinburgh Green coloured LPG - liquid petroleum gas - powered Metrocab taxi at Buckingham Palace in London. The Metrocab was the only one in the world powered solely by gas
Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, drives his daughter the Princess Royal to Crathie Church in 1992, where she was to marry Commander Tim Laurence
September 1957: Prince Charles sits in the front between the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh, who is at the wheel, as he drives to Cheam School, near Newbury, to become a pupil there
The Duke of Edinburgh arrives by car at The Deanery in Ely Cathedral for a private visit in support of fund-raising efforts there
December 1981: H.R.H. Prince Philip was in a 'Royal Scrape' when the Bedford Lucas Electric van which he used for driving around London was involved in a scrape with a taxi. The Bedford Lucas Electric Vehicle sustained a small chip knocked out of a front nearside door hinge and scratched paintwork
June 1966: Prince Philip leaves Windsor after playing polo, at the wheel of his Triplex Scimitar GTS
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Some great old photos there. Can we let him be now...
by Sarah 160