Buckle Up, Your Majesty

Many of us worry about our grandparents or very elderly parents when it comes to driving. For many, it’s a struggle to convince the elderly to surrender their car keys when they reach a certain age because it’s asking them to give up their independence. It’s worrisome when relatives reach an age when it could be dangerous for them to drive, both for themselves and to others.

Do you know who has been having a lot of automobile safety issues lately? They are the last people on earth who you would assume to be having this kind of trouble: Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip.

You would think that two royals who have plenty of people at their disposal to drive them around wherever and whenever they want to go out would never have any problems. But apparently, the royal family does have enough stress in regards Granny and Gramps being on the road.

However, just last Friday, the 97-year-old Prince Philip was driving himself around in his Land Rover without a seatbelt before being struck by a Kia. No one was severely hurt, but Prince Philip is facing a police probe after which he might have to surrender his driver’s license. This would be a good thing because I can’t see Prince Charles winning in a fight against his father to take away his license.

Now, only a few days after her husband’s accident, the 92-year-old Queen Elizabeth was spotted driving herself, likewise without her seatbelt on. The scariest part? The Queen doesn’t have a driver’s license. She was taught to drive by the Army during World War II, and as queen, she’s the only citizen who isn’t required to have a driver’s license.

Okay, I think it’s time for the rest of the royal family to stage an intervention. They need to sit Granny and Gramps down and have a serious talk about vehicle safety. I vote for Prince William to lead the charge. Because let’s face it, there’s no way anyone is going to take Prince Charles seriously, certainly not his own parents.

And if all else fails, maybe William can slip a well-intentioned bribe to some official who can revoke Gramps’s license for good.