let's get an update on our main news now about the duke of edinburgh. buckingham palace say he is not injured after being involved in a car accident near the sandringham estate in norfolk. prince philip is 97 and one report says he was able to walk away from the crash. the incident occurred in norfolk, near the royal family's sandringham estate, on the a149 near the village of west newton. let's talk to our correspondent sarah campbell, who is outside buckingham palace now. just bring us up to date with everything we know. the news officially was announced by buckingham palace just before 6pm so just in the past hour, and to take you through the statement released by buckingham palace, they said the duke of edinburgh was involved in a road traffic accident with another

vehicle this afternoon, he was not injured, the accident took place close to the sandringham estate and local police attended. the pictures you are looking at are the aftermath of the incident. we understand it took place on the 149 at approximately 2:45pm. buckingham palace has confirmed that the duke of edinburgh, who was 97, was driving the vehicle when the accident happened. somebody contacted the bbc anonymously before the news was made public and they gave some detail, they said they had been an eyewitness to the collision and ifi been an eyewitness to the collision and if i could read what they sound, we haven't been able to independently verify this but they said they witnessed a road traffic collision at babingley crossroads in norfolk and it involved prince philip. the anonymous contact said

he was turned over, presumably referring to the car you can see there, the anonymous witnessed used there, the anonymous witnessed used the word t—boned, which generally referred to one card going into another and looking at those pictures, that seems to be what happened. they said, we helped him get out, he was conscious and was very shocked and there were lots of police at the incident, and we know that norfolk police have confirmed there was an incident, there were two people who received minor injuries. we know the duke himself was not injured. we understand from buckingham palace spokesperson that a doctor examined the duke, which is why they can say he was not injured, and they say local people attended the scene. as you look at that

picture, which appears to show a land rover its side with a fair amount of damage, and as this eyewitness said, we helped him get out, he was conscious but very shocked, and looking at those pictures you can see why. the prince is 97, he appears much less in public now, he retired from public duties in august 2017 so the glimpses we see of him are very infrequent these days, in fact his last appearance in public was at the wedding of his granddaughter, princess eugenie, who married jack brooks bank last october. he didn't, as he usually would, attend the church service on christmas day with the queen at the church in sandringham so we haven't seen him for a while but we know he was at the sandringham estate and he has

been there since christmas and this news breaking in the last hour that 97—year—old prince philip was driving a carand 97—year—old prince philip was driving a car and was involved in a traffic accident with another vehicle this afternoon. he was not injured. sarah, we seeing these pictures of the car that buckingham palace says he was driving, on its side. quite a bit of a shocking photograph. we know that the duke is 97 and we know that he does drive around the various royal estates, sandringham, we know he drives around windsor. this incident appears to have taken place on a public road near the estate. yes, thatis public road near the estate. yes, that is a picture at the babingley crossroads, certainly the accident

took place on the a149. the prince is 97 but recent pictures of him, he still does drive, he regularly drives his horses and carriages around his estates at windsor and sandringham, so he is known to drive and buckingham palace said he was driving this afternoon. we don't know whether there was anyone else in the car. one would expect some sort of protection officer to be with him but we haven't had that confirmed, but looking at those pictures and the damage to the car, it must have been a very shocking experience for all involved and for that eyewitness who contacted the bbc saying the duke appeared very shocked, and that's not surprising at all. norfolk police were involved

in the aftermath of the accident, certainly in the vehicle recovery, theyissued certainly in the vehicle recovery, they issued a statement saying they we re they issued a statement saying they were called around 3pm to reports of a two vehicle collision. recovery has been called and we are waiting for them to arrive, so that was a police incident released earlier this afternoon and it took a bit of time to piece together what happened and it was only around 6pm that buckingham palace officially made it known that it was prince philip who was involved in this collision on a road in norfolk. sarah campbell, outside buckingham palace, and for viewers just joining outside buckingham palace, and for viewersjustjoining us, to bring you the news that the duke of edinburgh, prince philip, has been involved in a car crash near the sandringham estate. he is not injured. an eyewitness saw him walking away from the vehicle and

buckingham palace say he is not injured although he is said to be very shocked. two people in the other vehicle are said to have sustained minor injuries. as people ta ke sustained minor injuries. as people take the news in, we're getting some reaction to this news, the archbishop of york, john sent moo, has shared a message of support for the duke of edinburgh, he tweeted, almighty god, fountain of all goodness, we beseech you to bless the duke of edinburgh, induce him with your holy spirit and heavenly grace, prosper him with all happiness and bring him to your everlasting kingdom. that is from the archbishop of york. we have also had a statement from buckingham palace, from a spokeswoman confirming that the duke was driving when the accident happened. she

added, he saw a doctor as a precaution, who confirmed he was not injured. she would not comment on who the passenger was but it is likely that he was travelling with his protection officer. we can speak 110w his protection officer. we can speak now to nicholas witchel, who was with me, and just tell us a bit more about prince philip and the sort of life we know he is leading now that he has retired from public duty. he did soa he has retired from public duty. he did so a year or so ago. we note he drives on the various royal estates. the point to make is this is a relatively small road traffic accident, mercifully nobody hurt, buckingham palace insisting the duke has not been injured and the two people in the other vehicle suffered minor injuries and were treated at

the scene. i don't think anyone was taken to hospital but although it's a fairly taken to hospital but although it's afairly minor taken to hospital but although it's a fairly minor accident, the big question, is it appropriate for someone question, is it appropriate for someone five months short of their 98th birthday to be driving on a public road? the duke is a very determined character and is used to driving royal vehicles at windsor and sandringham, around the estate there, do you remember when he drove there, do you remember when he drove the obama is when they visited windsor, being driven from the helicopter to the castle, rather to the consternation of the secret service, but he is still driving around the public roads in sandringham, according to the eyewitness who found the bbc and gave us the first indication that

this had happened, he was pulling out of a driveway, i would imagine thatis out of a driveway, i would imagine that is one of the private entrances on the estate, pulling out of a driveway close to the babingley crossroads, near to a busy day road and there was this collision with a people carrier. it takes quite a bit to turn a range rover over. we don't know the precise circumstances, presumably norfolk police will be looking at that carefully and in any other crash like this the police would be considering should anyone be charged with driving without due ca re be charged with driving without due care and attention, and that will emerge as the day wears on, but one would think that within the royal household, that the queen and the duke would be considering, is it sensible for someone nearly 98 to be driving on the public road? he is

determined, he is still very active and in remarkably robust health as far as one and in remarkably robust health as faras one can and in remarkably robust health as far as one can tell, though we haven't seen much of him in recent months, didn't see him on christmas day which was unusual but we were assured that there was no reason for that other than that he is taking things more quietly now, he had the hip replacement operation in april last year, that all went smoothly, we saw him coming out of hospital after a week and being driven away ina range after a week and being driven away in a range rover, but he remains remarkably active for someone of his age and he is of renowned determination to do it his way. we can see on the screen the photo that was taken sometime after this crash.

i must tell viewers who are just joining us that the duke of edinburgh was involved in a car crash earlier this afternoon, around 4pm british time. the duke is said to be uninjured, he walked away from the scene of the crash, two other people in the other vehicle are said to have sustained minor injuries so this is breaking news that the duke of edinburgh was involved in a car crash but uninjured. interesting that you say there may be questions about him driving. i suppose we should say that it appears this has happened on a public road. should say that it appears this has happened on a public roadm appears so, we happened on a public roadm appears so, we can see happened on a public roadm appears so, we can see the risk at junction in the foreground, there is the range rover on its side, we cannot tell the direction from which

it has come but this is a public road and the other vehicle was on a public road, there are the emergency services who attended, but you were not ina services who attended, but you were not in a crash of this severity in terms of the damage and the fact a heavy vehicle has turned over in the way we can see it has, without being very shaken and witnesses who were there to helped him out, according to the witness who found the bbc, he was very shocked we cannot precisely see how much damage was sustained, whether it was difficult to get out of the vehicle but i think that looks as though it is the front of the vehicle pointing towards us so if he was driving he would be on the bottom of that, so one would imagine it would be difficult to get out of

that vehicle, especially if you are not as agile as if you were a younger person, so not as agile as if you were a younger person, so extracting him from the vehicle, one must assume the person with him would have been his protection officer who would have summoned health and the queen and duke are in residence at sandringham, norfolk police beef up there numbers they‘ re sandringham, norfolk police beef up there numbers they're very rapidly and in some numbers. the duke of edinburgh, for viewersjoining and in some numbers. the duke of edinburgh, for viewers joining us, has been involved in a car crash. buckingham palace said that he is uninjured, he has seen a doctor as a precaution and the doctor confirmed he was not injured, but the palace has also said the duke was very shocked at what happened. two other people involved in this collision

are said to have sustained minor injuries. we have some more pictures coming in from the aftermath of this accident. police operation going on. a recovery vehicle and i think we saw the range rover being taken away and it will be for the police road accident investigators to look at the scene, to assess precisely what happened, whether there were any skid marks, one must assume their range rover swerved, the duke was driving, perhaps saw this other vehicle and swerved suddenly, with sufficient velocity to turn the vehicle over, which is quite something, range rovers are heavy vehicles. these are pictures we have just got off the vehicle that was

overturned, the range rover, which has been righted now, so you can see the damage that was caused. we can't speak now to our correspondent alex dunlop, who was closed to the sandringham estate in norfolk, near where the accident happened. describe the scene and tell us what more happened. we understand that the vehicles involved in the collision have been taken away. it's worth giving you an idea of the geography at this part of the world, north norfolk is the royal family's winter retreat, they come up here just before christmas, they arrived on the 20th of december and have been relaxing here ever since. this isa been relaxing here ever since. this is a part of the world that the duke of edinburgh knows very well. he drives around the estate and neighbouring roads. and what is this

scene at the moment?” neighbouring roads. and what is this scene at the moment? i don't know if you can hear me. what is going on? i'm so sorry, i think we have lost alex dunlop there, we will try and come back to him shortly. nick, just to sort of tell people a bit more about the duke of edinburgh and the sort of life his leading. a quiet semi retired life but still active and he continues to carriage drive, horse—drawn carriage, you have seen photos of him doing that recently in windsor and that is his passion and tisa man of windsor and that is his passion and t is a man of notable determination who is not to be easily persuaded to give up those things he takes

pleasure from, but one must assume that this will have been quite a shock to the queen to suddenly hear her husband has been in a road traffic accident and the vehicle has overturned, though he has suffered no injuries according to buckingham palace, but in the aftermath of something like this, i'm sure they will be thinking, maybe we should consider a few things but he is very active, albeit that he is five months short of his 98th birthday, he's not doing any further engagements but he is still supporting the queen and she will be relying on him and this time of year they do to sandringham and the queen will return to london to pursue her duties as head of state next month but it is an important break for most of them, there will have been shooting parties which did duke would have participated in, i think

thatis would have participated in, i think that is no longer the case at his age but he retains this active curiosity about life, this active interest in life and in the goings on of his family. we will come back to you in a moment but we can speak right now to the royal biographer hugo vickers, whojoins right now to the royal biographer hugo vickers, who joins us on the line. thank you forjoining us. your thoughts on this news? very glad to hear that he's but secondly any kind of car accident at the age of 97 is likely to produce shop, which is not a good thing, and if he was at the wheel, he maybe now told that it's time to call it a day and he will be very sensible about that because he isa very sensible about that because he is a wise man but that would be a great infringement of his independence which he would like, so

it's not good news. you say he will ta ke it's not good news. you say he will take such advice as a sensible person, he is also, as we heard, quite determined character and one assumes that driving has been part of his life. it has, but remember some years ago he gave up of his life. it has, but remember some years ago he gave up flying planes long before he needed to because he was scared if something happened there would be criticism about why he was still flying a plane at 55 when he should have retired at 48, so he's very sensible and if anyone is involved in a car accident, it's quite a